Britain’s new high-speed railway, HS2, has a policy of providing apprenticeships for young people, and this week welcomed a new intake of 21 apprentices and graduates to start a two-year training programme.

Every year, HS2 takes on new candidates, and 209 apprentices and 125 graduates have joined the company over the last eight years.

So far, the new railway has provided apprenticeships for 1,713 people, either with HS2’s construction partners or their suppliers.

When combined with those people directly employed by HS2, the total is 1,922, which is near the 2,000 apprenticeships the company is aiming for.

This year, 14 men and women secured a place on HS2 Ltd’s 2025 two-year graduate programme, where they will study commercial quantity surveying, project management, the environment, and programme controls.

To increase their knowledge and skillset in their specialist field, they will move to different departments every six months.

As well as the 14 people on the graduate programme, another seven talented youngsters have joined HS2 Ltd’s apprenticeship programme.

Of these, five will work and study a Level 4 apprenticeship in Project Management, and two candidates will start Level 4 apprenticeships in Construction and Quantity Surveying.

Among the feedback from recent recruits is that from Lewis Squires, 19, from Wolverhampton, who said he was really looking forward to getting started on his project management apprenticeship.

While HS2 will deliver wide-reaching benefits for people who live and work in Britain, for Lewis, being part of something that gives back to people is a real draw.

After completing a Master’s degree in Humanitarian Engineering with Management, and being passionate about infrastructure development and the positive change this can make to people’s lives, Taiwo Omitoyin, 28, from Birmingham, spent the summer on placement with HS2’s construction partner, Balfour Beatty VINCI, which gave Taiwo a great insight into the project.

Ben Norton, 24, from southwest London, had completed a Master’s degree in Real Estate, and thought HS2’s graduate programme was a great career move.

He is joining the commercial quantity surveying team, using his cost control and project development skills as part of the team developing the new Old Oak Common station in west London.”

Further information about careers and opportunities with HS2 is online at hs2.org.uk/careers.

As well as apprenticeships, HS2 has also taken on over 5,000 formerly unemployed people.

“In total, 34,000 people are now behind the drive to build HS2, in highly skilled jobs that span a broad range of sectors. The scale and complexity of this British engineering feat providesa unique learning environment, with fantastic opportunities for ambitious young people who want to forge successful careers.”

Karen Davis, HS2 Ltd.’s Head of Talent & Resourcing