First HS2 Contracts ‘Will Support 16K Jobs’

Posted on: 22 Jul 2017

Construction of the HS2 railway will support 16,000 engineering jobs over the next six years, an announcement from the Department for Transport has promised.

Workers within the engineering jobs recruitment sector could be among those contracted to take on the upcoming civil engineering tasks, including the construction of tunnels, viaducts, bridges and embankments as part of the first phase of HS2.

Announcing the allocation of the first £6.6 billion worth of major construction contracts, chairman of HS2 Ltd David Higgins said that the project brings with it opportunities around the country to spark investment, spread prosperity and rebalance the economy.

“These contracts will support 16,000 jobs here in Britain and will create opportunities for thousands of SMEs,” he added.

According to the department, up to a total of 25,000 jobs will be created in constructing the full HS2 route, while 2,000 apprenticeships will also be made available.

Another 3,000 workers will be needed to operate the high-speed railway and an estimated extra 100,000 jobs will be created as part of the growth around the HS2 stations. Around 60 per cent of the 7,000 supply chain contract opportunities are likely to go to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) as part of the HS2 project, the department has said.

Meanwhile, transport secretary Chris Grayling also recently announced the confirmation of high-speed rail lines to the North West, East Midlands and Yorkshire, which are expected bring a host of economic benefits for areas outside London, including the creation of skilled jobs, apprenticeships and business opportunities.