Press Release

Balfour Beatty VINCI has welcomed a new cohort of welding operative apprentices who will play a key role in delivering the Curzon Approaches – the series of viaducts connecting HS2 services to Birmingham's Curzon Street Station.

Created in partnership with Balfour Beatty VINCI’s supply chain partners Martifer and AA Euro, the 10 apprenticeship opportunities have been designed to help address the UK's welding skills shortage while providing local people with recognisable training and long-term career opportunities.

The vacancies were promoted through Jobcentre Plus locations across the region, including the HS2 Recruitment Hub at Washwood Heath, with a focus on supporting unemployed people into sustainable employment. Following a 10-day paid work trial, successful candidates secured a Level 2 apprenticeship, combining practical site experience with classroom-based learning to achieve an industry-standard welding qualification.

The apprentices will support the delivery of major infrastructure in Birmingham, receiving hands-on experience from industry specialists while contributing to one of the UK's largest transport projects.

Kam Hundal, Skills, Employment and Education Business Partner at Balfour Beatty VINCI, said: "Developing the next generation of skilled workers is essential to the future of our industry, and these apprenticeships demonstrate the positive impact that can be achieved through collaboration across our supply chain.

"By working closely with Martifer, AA Euro and local training providers, we have created valuable opportunities for local people to gain industry-recognised qualifications while contributing to the delivery of HS2. These apprentices will develop skills for life and help strengthen the talent pipeline needed to deliver major infrastructure projects for years to come."

Julie Venn Morton, HS2’s Senior Skills and Inclusion Manager for the West Midlands said: “5,771 unemployed people have already secured work on HS2, and I’m delighted we’ve been able to build on that with these 10 new roles.

“Welding is a skill for life, and I’m confident our new starters will have a promising career ahead of them.”

The group comprises recruits from across the West Midlands, including Birmingham, Solihull, Walsall and Stoke-on-Trent, with participants ranging from early career starters to individuals retraining later in life. 

Training is being delivered in partnership with Walsall-based Performance Through People, which will provide the classroom-based learning element of the apprenticeship programme, while Balfour Beatty VINCI’s site teams and supply chain specialists will support on-the-job development and mentoring.

The initiative forms part of Balfour Beatty VINCI’s wider commitment to creating social value through employment, skills and education opportunities. Since construction began, thousands of local people have benefited from employment and training opportunities created through HS2 in the West Midlands.

Tyler, 21, from Walsall said: “After completing my A-Levels, I went straight into an office job, but I quickly discovered this wasn’t the right career path for me.  I’m so glad I decided to make this change. Now, I’m a welding apprentice working on the HS2 project and I’m loving every minute. Being able to observe the physical progress of works is extremely rewarding.”

Andrew Short is one of six candidates that were recruited through the dedicated HS2 Recruitment Hub in Washwood Heath.

Andrew, 48, from Birmingham said: “As a local resident, I’ve witnessed the positive impact HS2 is having in Birmingham. I don’t just mean the major viaducts that are springing up from the ground. It’s also providing local people with employment and opportunities to learn new skills. I’m one of those people who are benefitting from this iconic project, which I believe will come to define the city.”

Around 10,000 people are already helping to build HS2 in the West Midlands, almost a third of the entire workforce employed on the project. 870 people from the region have secured apprenticeships and 2,214 local residents who were unemployed have progressed into new careers.

As construction continues, Balfour Beatty VINCI remains committed to working with local partners to inspire future talent, address skills gaps and create lasting career opportunities across the region.

ENDS

All non-media related enquiries should be directed to +44 (0)20 7216 6800 or info@balfourbeatty.com

Notes to editors:

• Balfour Beatty is a leading international infrastructure group delivering the complex, critical infrastructure that keeps economies moving and communities connected.
• With around 26,000 employees, we finance, develop, build, maintain and operate essential infrastructure across the UK, US and Asia, combining deep engineering and construction expertise with long-term investment capability.
• For over one hundred years, we have delivered landmark projects around the world. Today, our teams are helping to deliver major programmes including Hinkley Point C, the UK’s first new nuclear power station in a generation; the Lyric Theatre in Hong Kong, a world-class cultural venue at the heart of the West Kowloon Cultural District; and the Knox Street Development in Dallas, Texas, a major mixed-use scheme helping to reshape one of the city’s most vibrant neighbourhoods.