Balfour Beatty VINCI welcomes new welding apprentices to support HS2 delivery
- constructnetuk
- Jul 12
- 1 min read
Balfour Beatty VINCI has welcomed a new cohort of welding operative apprentices who will help deliver the Curzon Approaches – the series of viaducts connecting HS2 services to Birmingham's Curzon Street Station.
Created in partnership with supply chain partners Martifer and AA Euro, the programme has recruited 10 new apprentices to help tackle the UK's welding skills shortage while creating long-term career opportunities for local people.
The vacancies were promoted through Jobcentre Plus locations across the West Midlands, including the HS2 Recruitment Hub at Washwood Heath. Following a 10-day paid work trial, successful candidates secured a Level 2 welding apprenticeship, combining classroom learning with practical site experience.
The apprentices will work on one of the UK's largest infrastructure projects while gaining industry-recognised qualifications through training delivered by Performance Through People in Walsall.
The latest intake includes recruits from Birmingham, Solihull, Walsall and Stoke-on-Trent, ranging from school leavers to people changing careers later in life.
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. By working closely with Martifer, AA Euro and local training providers, we've created valuable opportunities for local people to gain industry-recognised qualifications while contributing to the delivery of HS2."
Julie Venn Morton, HS2's Senior Skills and Inclusion Manager for the West Midlands, added:
"Welding is a skill for life, and I'm confident our new starters will have a promising career ahead of them."
Around 10,000 people are currently working on HS2 across the West Midlands, including 870 apprentices, while thousands of local people have secured employment and training opportunities since construction began.
