Apprenticeships at HS2 FAQs

About the programme

Q: What apprentice schemes are available? 

• Project Controls  

• Commercial  

Q: What does the apprenticeship programme look like? 

A: Apprentices join us in September 2026 where they will have a full Induction into HS2 Ltd and meet all apprentices in their cohort. All our apprentices attend a series of learning days every 6 months across the first two years, which is designed to develop the core skills and behaviours required in any business. Not only is every apprentice supported by their day-to-day team, but every apprentice is supported by the Early Careers team, where regular team meetings are arranged; 1:1’s are provided, and every apprentice is assigned a mentor, as well as a team buddy. We also provide placement opportunities to gain exposure into other parts of the business and a chance to gain new skills, knowledge and behaviours as part of their apprenticeship standard. 

Q: What is the duration of the apprenticeship? 

A: Typically, all our apprenticeships are on a 2-year programme. Check the job advert which will tell you the duration of the programme you are applying for is.  

Q: How many days a week do I attend college? 

A: This is dependent on each apprenticeship programme, and which training provider is delivering the programme. As each programme is very different, some may have day release or others may have block release. Please note, collages deliver sessions both remotely online and face to face.  

Q: Will my travel expenses for travelling to college be paid for? 

A: Travel expenses to and from college will be paid for by HS2 if you are travelling more than 5km away from your base location. Currently our apprentices are learning with a combination of remotely online & face to face. 

Q: What training providers do you use? 

A: All training providers are registered on the government website. We also look at Ofsted ratings to determine the correct providers for HS2.  

Q: What are the entry requirements for the Apprentice Programme? 

A: We require a minimum of 5 GCSE’s (A*- C) including English and Maths (or 4 and above/or equivalent). 

Q: How many hours a week will I be contracted to work? 

A: The contracted HS2 full time working week is 36 hours (excluding breaks). 

Q: How long are rotations/placements? 

A: We suggest a minimum of 3 months per placement, which are aligned to the apprenticeship standards and to your specific programme, each programme may vary slightly. 

Q: What type of rotations/placements are there? 

A: These would be specific and aligned to your programme and the team you are working with. 

Q: Can I apply for more than one Apprentice role? 

A: Yes, but please be mindful of the location of the position and ensure the location suits. The location and postcode of the roles are on each individual advert. 

Q: Location of role? 

A: The locations are varied across the line of route, most typically within Birmingham and London, but please refer to the advert of the role you are interested in applying for which will detail the specific location, as we are offering a combination of HS2 Ltd offices, sites and also Integrated Project Team (IPTs) facilities. IPTs are our Tier 1 suppliers who are based on and around the line of route between London and Birmingham. 

Q: What is an Integrated Project Team (IPTs)?  

A: The four Integrated Project Teams (IPTs) are each formed of a contractor, their designers and embedded HS2 staff that work with the HS2 Ltd Client team. This approach facilitates collaborative ways of working and efficient decision making.  

Each IPT is led by a HS2 Project Client supported by a Joint Venture Project Director.  

Q: Will travel be involved within the role? 

A: Some travel will be required and will be discussed with you on a case-by-case basis. HS2 can also support with travel arrangements for work-related trips.  

Q: I studied my GCSE’s X number of years ago, does this matter? 

A: No, we don’t have a limit on the number of years ago you obtained your GCSE’s, we accept all applications to a grade C/grade 4 and above or equivalent. Please note, that you will need to provide proof/evidence of GCSE certificates. 

Q: I studied outside the UK. How do I know if my GCSE results are equivalent to a C? 

A: Please contact [email protected] with this query well in advance of the closing date of 22nd March 2026, and we can guide you. 

Q: I have a degree. Can I apply for an apprenticeship with a degree? 

A: Absolutely, we welcome all applications, provided they meet the minimum criteria above and have the unrestricted Right to Work in the UK. 

Q: How long should my CV be?  

A: Guidance around CV writing can be located on the website – https://www.hs2.org.uk/jobs-and-skills/careers-with-hs2-ltd/application-process/ 

Q: Can I upload other documents as well as my CV? 

A: To be fair and consistent in our approach to all candidates, HS2 will not review any other application documents apart from your CV, so there is no need to upload a covering letter, portfolio of work or any other supporting documents.  

Q: Does HS2 offer sponsorship if I do not have the Right to Work in the UK? 

A: To be eligible to apply to the HS2 Apprenticeship scheme for our September 2026 in-take, any applicant will need to already have the on-going Right to Work in the UK, that is not time-bound in any way.   

Please note, unfortunately due to the time-bound restrictions of the Post Study Work visa, we are unable to accept any applicants who have this visa.  

Due to the nature of our organization, HS2 are not able to sponsor any applications as we do not hold the required sponsorship license from the UK Home Office and candidates are not allowed to sponsor themselves.   

We appreciate the Right to Work question can be complex to understand, so if you are unsure of your Right to Work status in the UK, please email us at [email protected] and we will be happy to advise further. Please note that to enable HS2 to comply with the UK Home Office policy, your Right to Work status will be checked early in the recruitment process.

Q: Do you pay relocation costs? 

A: Unfortunately, we do not pay relocation costs. 

Q: When will I start and finish? 

A: The programme starts in September 2026, and it is our intention that the programme would finish in September 2028. 

Q: What are the timelines for the campaign? 

A: The Applications window closes on 22nd March 2026. Once you submit your application, the first assessment will be an online blended assessment which will be sent to you once you have completed the application has been reviewed. This consists of a variety of situational, numerical, and verbal questions, with a video interview at the end. The subsequent process will include an online assessment center taking place throughout the months of April. Post assessment center, we will work as quickly as possible to issue offers to successful candidates first. For non-successful applicants, the outcome of your application will be available no later than the month of June. The start date of the HS2 Graduate Programme is September 2026. 

Q: What is the salary for the Apprentice roles? 

London locations (inside M25):  

Level3/Year1 – basic salary of £21,122 plus 10% flexible allowance = £23,234 

• Level4/Year1 – basic salary of £21,542 plus 10% flexible allowance = £23,696

Non-London Locations:  

• Level3/Year1 – basic salary of £19,740 plus 10% flexible allowance = £21,687 

• Level4/Year1 – basic salary of £20,133 plus 10% flexible allowance = £22,146 

Q: What is the flexible allowance and how is it paid? 

A: Essentially the flexible allowance is an additional sum of money paid as part of your salary every month. It is a fully pensionable, along with your basic salary. It gives you extra monies to pay for other benefits, which are not part of our Core benefits package. Core Benefits are provided to you free of charge, although some are taxable. The flexible fund enables you to choose benefits that best suit you and your family, but if you prefer not to choose any benefits, you can just take the cash. The Core Benefits are Health Cash Plan, Life Assurance, Income Protection and Health Assessments (depending upon grade). 

Q: Is the closing date flexible? 

A: To maintain consistency and fairness, we are unable to accept any applications or assessments after the closing deadlines.

Q How do I request a reasonable adjustment? 

A: an inclusive employer, HS2 wants to see every candidate performing at their best with regards to any support or adjustments required during the recruitment process. The HR Resourcing team capture any adjustments or support required within your application. Please note, any answer you provide is not visible to hiring managers and will only be discussed with hiring managers if it is appropriate, at the point in time in the recruitment cycle we are required to make the adjustment. If you require an adjustment, please select “yes” on the application question and provide a brief outline of the adjustment. The HR Resourcing team will use this information to implement the relevant adjustment/s at the relevant part of the process. If the HR Resourcing team have any queries on the information you have provided, they will get in touch with you directly. If you apply for more than one vacancy, you will need to register the adjustment against each vacancy. If you have any queries on this, or you wish to discuss in detail, please contact [email protected] 

Q If I’ve applied before during a previous HS2 Apprentice Campaign, can I apply again?  

A: Yes. We know your skills are always developing and our requirements can change. We’ll be happy for you to apply for any role your skills fit, even if you’ve applied before.  

Q: I have had a technical problem when applying, or a technical problem with my application?  

A: Please contact us on [email protected] well before the deadline for the application. As we have the application process open for several weeks, please do your best not to leave this to the last minute to flag an issue.  

Q: How do I know that you’ve received my application?  

A: You’ll get an email confirming receipt as soon as you submit your online application.  

If you don’t receive this confirmation, please check your junk mail.  

Q: What additional support is there in the Apprentice Programme?  

A: Each Apprentice will receive support from a variety of sources, including:  

• Your Line Manager  

• Placement Managers  

• An Early Careers lead  

Q: What training will I receive?  

A: As part of your apprenticeship, you will be taught by a qualified tutor in a college setting, within the apprenticeship specific subject area. In addition to this, you will receive job learning from subject matter experts within your business area as well as attending a learning week every 6 months. The Learning week will focus on core business skills such as emotional intelligence, effective decision making, team building, and resilience.   

Q: Will there be an induction week?  

A: Yes, this will be in September 2026 and there is also a welcome day in the summer to get you settled into the business before you start in September.  

Assessment stage

Q: What happens if I do not complete the online blended assessment, i.e., the first stage of the application process? 

A: The online blended assessment that we ask you to complete is integral to the application process. If it is not submitted by the required submission date, we will unfortunately have to assume you have withdrawn your interest in the programme. Thus, we ask you to complete the assessment well in advance of the closing date  

Q: I can’t make my interview on the date given. Can I request a different date?  

A: We can’t always provide alternative interview dates because of time constraints, but we’ll be as flexible as we possibly can.  

 Q: Will theinterview(s)be face to face?  

A: No, the interview/assessment center will be taking place virtually using an online platform.   

Q: Can I get feedback on my application if I don’t make it to the interview stage?  

A: Unfortunately, due to the high number of applications, we cannot give feedback to people who don’t reach the interview stage.   

Q: Can I get feedback on my interview if I don’t get an offer?  

A: Yes, we are committed to helping you improve and develop, and we will provide feedback on key competencies to anyone who has interviewed us.  

Offer stage

Q: How soon can I expect any outcome after I have been interviewed?  

A: Our aspirations are to conclude the decision-making process as soon as possible after the interviews. Given the number of candidates that we assess, this can take some time. We are aiming to make a verbal offer no later than 4 weeks after we conclude the interview process.  

Q: Is my offer conditional?  

A: Yes, it is conditional on a few things – meeting the entry requirements as specified, satisfying eligibility criteria for working in the UK and completing all the on-boarding checks. The on-boarding checks include a check with the institution you graduated from, a basic DBS check, a financial check, and we collect 3 years of references.  

Q: Can I defer my offer if I’ve decided to take a gap year?  

A: There is a lot of planning work that goes into shaping our apprentice intake, so unfortunately, we cannot support any deferral applications.  

Q: What happens between accepting my offer and starting the programme?  

A: When you accept an offer, we will commence the Pre-Employment checks, and we will keep you up to date with progress. We run a “Welcome Day” in summer 2026 which is a great way to get to know all your new apprentice colleagues and start to build a great network. We will also keep you on top of the things that are happening at HS2 with monthly updates.  

Apprentice future

Q: What happens after the Apprentice Programme? 

A: Where possible, we aim to retain our apprentices after the programme finishes. We will take into consideration multiple factors when determining this, including but not limited to; passing the course/apprenticeship, performance, behaviour, feedback. 

Q: Can’t find an answer to your question? 

A: Please contact HS2 Jobs on [email protected]