GENSOCIAL
High-speed rail project HS2 has joined a scheme designed to create new apprenticeships across Birmingham and Solihull.
Ladder for Greater Birmingham was launched in partnership with our sister website BirminghamLive in summer 2018 with the aim of creating more than a thousand new apprenticeships across the city region.
HS2, whose chief executive Mark Thurston began his career as an engineering apprentice, has now become an employer partner of the Ladder with the aim of starting new careers for apprentices on the rail project.
Last year, HS2 ran apprenticeships in project management, finance and cyber security among others and future talent manager Karen Davis explained that the company’s opportunities changed each year as the project evolved.
Work on phase one between Birmingham and London is well under way with the region benefitting from two new stations in Birmingham city centre and near the airport.
Ms Davis said: “We have committed to ensuring that HS2 creates 2,000 apprenticeships and we’re delighted to join forces with The Ladder to ensure that individuals in Greater Birmingham and Solihull benefit from the opportunities we are creating.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime project that will transform our railways, better connect our major cities and boost economic growth across the Midlands and the north.
“We want local people to play a part in helping us deliver this legacy project and I actively encourage them to apply.”
The Ladder is run by community development group The Vine Trust and training provider Performance Through People with funding from the GBSLEP and Birmingham and Solihull Training Provider Network, with BirminghamLive as media partner.
Part of the ongoing campaign has been our annual Birmingham Apprenticeship Awards which were last held in November and celebrated individuals, employers and training providers across a broad range of categories.
Justine Johnson is senior business development adviser at Performance Through People and works as the apprenticeship manager of The Ladder campaign.
She added: “We’re delighted to have HS2 join us as a new employer partner.
“We look forward to assisting the company in its annual recruitment of apprentices by promoting these vacancies on The Ladder’s website.”
To find out more about the Ladder for Greater Birmingham campaign and how employing apprentices can benefit your business, visit ladderforbirmingham.co.uk or call 03332 409 699
