HS2 is continuing its investment in local talent by welcoming a new cohort of university students onto its paid summer placement programme. Now in its fourth year, the eight-week “earn and learn” scheme is designed to retain home-grown talent by offering undergraduates a valuable insight into future career opportunities right on their doorstep.
The programme, developed and delivered by HS2’s construction partner, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), is exclusively for students who either live in the West Midlands or are studying at one of the region’s universities. Participants will gain practical work experience in roles that align with their chosen areas of study, significantly boosting their employment prospects upon graduation.
Julie Venn-Morton, HS2’s Senior Skills & Inclusion Manager for the West Midlands, said: “We’re exceptionally proud of the partnerships we’ve formed with our local universities and how we’re working together to help home-grown talent thrive. For the fourth year running, we’ve opened the gates to our construction sites and offices to enable a new cohort of engineers, technicians and digital specialists to hone their skills and make a valuable contribution to HS2 – the UK’s biggest transport infrastructure project.”
Following a rigorous application and interview process, thirty-two students from eight universities – including the University of Birmingham, Birmingham City University, Aston University, and Coventry University – successfully secured places on the programme. This week, they began their placements across a wide range of BBV departments, including engineering, quality assurance, procurement, IT, commercial, finance, and environment. Their work will support the design and construction of key bridges and structures along the HS2 route.
Over the next eight weeks, these students will apply the theoretical skills developed during their studies in a practical workplace setting. Previous placement students have gone on to secure degree apprenticeships (replacing full-time study), graduate schemes, and permanent employment with BBV after graduating, demonstrating the scheme’s credibility and the rewarding opportunities available to those who excel.
As construction continues between the West Midlands and London, HS2 is now supporting 33,000 jobs nationally, with approximately a third of these based in the West Midlands. Notably, 710 people from the region have secured an apprenticeship on the project, and 1,870 local individuals who were previously out of work have found employment through HS2.
Naomi Bates, Skills, Education and Employment Business Partner at Balfour Beatty VINCI, said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming our new students this summer, of which a third are women and some are returners from previous summer placements. The programme delivers benefits for HS2 by exposing us to new and exciting ideas, while providing the perfect opportunity for students themselves to earn and learn as part of a world-leading infrastructure project.”
Among those joining this year’s work placement programme are:
- Anastasia Docherty, 22, from Leamington Spa, studying Construction Project Management at Coventry University. She said: “I’m really excited to join Balfour Beatty VINCI over the summer months and learn as many new skills as I can. Being part of such a large infrastructure project like HS2 is a great opportunity for any student looking to get an insight into the construction industry.”
- Malaika Fatima, 20, from Ward End in Birmingham, studying Computer Science at Birmingham City University. Malaika added: “I live close to a HS2 construction site in Washwood Heath and I see the progress being made on a daily basis. This has inspired me to join Balfour Beatty VINCI’s summer placement programme, as a way of kick-starting my career and learning more about the HS2 project.”
- Maryam Bibi, 20, from Birmingham, studying Business and Management at Aston University. Maryam said: “I’m thrilled to be joining the UK’s largest infrastructure project over the summer, which will allow me to apply my theoretical business knowledge in the real world. I can’t wait to get some hands-on experience, as I pursue a career in procurement.”
- Yusouf Sufyan, 21, from Birmingham, studying Quantity Surveying at Birmingham City University. Yusouf said: “After I’ve finished my studies, my ambition is to become a chartered Quantity Surveyor. This summer placement will help me to realise my dream, by giving me the experience that I need. I also have friends who’ve been on this placement in previous summers, and they thoroughly recommend it!”
- Shan Koo, 20, from Solihull, studying General Engineering at the University of Leicester. Shan is returning to the programme after completing BBV’s summer placement last year. She explained: “I really enjoyed my time with BBV last summer, so I decided to come back again for another eight-week placement. It’s a great company to be part of, and I can’t think of a better platform to launch my career from.”
While HS2 Ltd’s CEO, Mark Wild, is currently leading a comprehensive reset of the project to ensure it can be delivered to the lowest reasonable cost, HS2 and its contractors continue to make progress on essential civil engineering works, including viaducts, earthworks, stations, and tunnels.
When complete, HS2 is set to improve connections between London and the West Midlands, with trains extending further north on existing lines. This new high-speed railway promises quicker and far more reliable journeys, driving economic growth while crucially freeing up much-needed capacity for more local trains on the most congested part of the existing West Coast Main Line.
For more information about careers and employment opportunities with HS2 and its supply chain partners, visit hs2.org.uk/careers.
