A new recruitment hub has opened in West London to help local people access jobs, apprenticeships and training opportunities linked to HS2 and a series of major regeneration projects transforming the capital.
Located within Acton Jobcentre Plus, the dedicated Recruitment Hub has been created through a partnership between HS2 Ltd and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The new drop-in centre will act as a one-stop shop for residents seeking careers on Britain’s biggest infrastructure project, as well as wider developments taking place around Old Oak Common.
The facility was officially opened on 30 June by HS2 Chief Executive Mark Wild and Michael Morley, the DWP’s Director for Jobcentres in London.
The hub comes as around 30,000 people are employed across the HS2 programme, with more than 2,000 apprenticeships already created and over 5,000 previously unemployed people supported into work.
With around a third of the project’s workforce based in London, further employment opportunities are expected as construction progresses from civil engineering towards railway systems installation, testing and commissioning over the coming decade.
Mark Wild said the investment in Old Oak Common was already generating significant economic benefits for West London.
“We’re building one of the UK’s biggest and best-connected railway stations at Old Oak Common, and that investment has already led to thousands of jobs being created,” he said.
“Old Oak Common station will boost the local economy by £10 billion over the next decade and we’re already seeing the ripple effect. Huge regeneration projects are transforming the area around the station site, and the number of new homes and commercial premises being built is spearheading even more new career opportunities.
“The recruitment hub will create a one-stop shop for local people who want to play a part in shaping this new West London district, whether working directly on HS2, or other major projects that form part of the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation’s masterplan and Places for London’s regeneration plans.”
HS2 expects its main civil engineering works to conclude within the next four years before the project moves into track, signalling and communications installation, followed by dynamic testing and trial operations.
Michael Morley said the new facility would help connect local residents with long-term career opportunities.
“I am delighted that Acton Jobcentre will become a central hub for employment and skills in this part of London,” he said.
“This new Recruitment Hub brings together DWP, employers, local authority partners, OPDC, Places for London and the National Careers Service in a strong collaborative effort to support people into work.
“These opportunities will be invaluable to residents seeking employment, particularly young Londoners who are currently navigating the gap between education, employment and training.”
Among those already benefiting from opportunities created by HS2 is East Acton resident Nazia Hashim, who joined the project after being made redundant during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Now working as an assistant quantity surveyor for HS2 construction partner Skanska Costain STRABAG Joint Venture (SCS JV), she said the project had opened up a career she had never previously considered.
“Major projects like HS2 provide so many different career pathways,” she said. “In just a short space of time, I’ve progressed from a role in business administration to becoming a fully qualified quantity surveyor.”
The recruitment hub will also support opportunities arising from the wider regeneration of Old Oak and Park Royal, where the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) is leading plans to transform 650 hectares of land across Brent, Ealing and Hammersmith & Fulham.
The regeneration programme is expected to deliver more than 11,000 jobs and over 8,000 new homes, with OPDC staff holding regular sessions at the recruitment hub to help residents access emerging employment opportunities.
Matthew Carpen, Chief Executive of OPDC, said: “As the development corporation responsible for leading the regeneration of Old Oak, which will bring up to 11,000 new jobs and over 8,000 homes to the area, OPDC is committed to working with HS2 and our local communities to support people into employment, apprenticeships and further training opportunities.
“The hub will play an important role in helping local people to access the fantastic opportunities generated by the major infrastructure and regeneration happening in this area.”
Research published by HS2 indicates that development centred around Old Oak Common could generate a £10 billion boost to the West London economy over the next decade, while the wider regeneration of Euston is forecast by Camden Council to contribute £41 billion to the UK economy by 2053.
