Mind the skills gap

Building tomorrow's workforce today

With around 33,000 people currently working on HS2, this report shows how Britain’s new high-speed railway is tackling the construction industry’s skills shortage head-on.

Through an industry-leading approach to training and employment, HS2 and its delivery partners have:

• Surpassed the target of 2,000 apprenticeship starts, with two-thirds aged 16-24 and a third over 25
• Helped more than 5,000 previously unemployed people into sustained work
• Established 11 skills academies along the route
• Delivered over £300 million in economic benefits through apprenticeships and workless job starts

An industry-leading approach

HS2’s success is built on partnership. Working with Jobcentre Plus, local authorities, colleges and supply chain companies, the project has created clear pathways into work for people who might never have considered a career in construction.

The job brokerage model brings opportunities directly into communities, with recruitment hubs in areas of high deprivation and targeted training programmes designed with local employers.

From T-Level placements to degree apprenticeships, from groundworks qualifications to project management – HS2 offers routes into well-paid, skilled careers that will last a lifetime.

Changing lives, building futures

The people building high-speed rail today will construct the homes, power stations and infrastructure projects of tomorrow.

This report shares the stories of people whose lives have been transformed – from career changers finding new opportunities, to young apprentices climbing the ladder, to people returning to work after years of setbacks.

A lasting legacy

As the construction industry faces a forecast need for 240,000 additional workers over the next five years, HS2’s approach offers a blueprint for how major projects can develop the skilled workforce Britain needs.

The lessons learned here are already being shared with other infrastructure projects, ensuring that the benefits extend far beyond the railway itself.