T-Level students jump straight into jobs on HS2

It was a day of double celebrations for six Walsall College T-Level students who were among the first in the country to pass their Construction - Design, Surveying and Planning T-Level - and celebrate with the news that they 've secured a job on HS2.

Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), HS2 's construction partner for the West Midlands, formed a partnership with Walsall College in 2020 when T-Levels were first introduced.

The collaboration enabled 16 students to secure a 45-day industry placement, working on HS2, that would account for 20 per cent of their overall grade.

All 16 students found out today that they had passed both the placement and theory elements of their course, allowing them to progress to the next stage in their career.

Julie Venn-Morton, HS2 's skills manager for the West Midlands said: “Our partnership with Walsall College is playing a vital role in helping us to plug the UK 's skills gap and create the talented workforce we need to deliver Europe 's biggest engineering project.

“We 're delighted that every student passed their industry placement and that at least six of those who took part will transition straight into full-time jobs. HS2 is a once in a lifetime project and a fantastic place for these young people to begin building a promising career. ”

After securing the grades they needed, six students will progress straight into an apprenticeship role with BBV.

They will spend the next five years advancing their studies while earning a wage supporting the construction of Britain 's new railway.

Further interviews are being held over the next two weeks, and BBV hopes even more of the talented youngsters will transition into jobs that will help bring HS2 to the region.

Among those to have secured a degree-level apprenticeship with BBV are Leah Hickman from Cannock, 18-year-old Jake Flood from Walsall and 18-year-old Tyree Clarke from Wolverhampton.