Unemployed people in the West Midlands are being supported into work on the HS2 project, thanks to government-backed recruitment hubs.
Celebrated by West Midlands Combined Authority, collaboration between the Department for Work and Pensions and HS2 has seen three recruitment hubs established in the region, looking to take advantage of the work opportunities that the project provides to support thousands of unemployed people. As the high-speed railway is constructed between London and the West Midlands, thousands are indeed being supported through new employment, giving them new careers and long-term prospects.
According to data, more than 4,000 people who were without work for 26 weeks or more have secured jobs in the project. This has come through the fact that more than a third of the entire workforce for HS2 are based in sites in the West Midlands region, meaning more local jobs are supported as plans to construct new stations and infrastructure sites continue.
These hubs have been specially established near the HS2 project’s three key sites in the Midlands.
Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street said:
“I welcome DWP and HS2 joining forces to invest in three new, strategically located, dedicated Recruitment Hubs. I look forward to seeing local people right across our region continue to benefit from the apprenticeship and employment opportunities created from the development of this high-speed rail link between the West Midlands and London. It is a project that is set to boost economic growth here in the West Midlands in the months and years ahead.”
Helene Dearn, Department for Work and Pensions’ West Midland’s Group Director, also commented:
“These are exciting times for our Jobcentres across the West Midlands. The three dedicated Recruitment Hubs will facilitate recruitment for HS2 employers, supporting residents right across the region.
“I look forward to growing our relationship with HS2 and the variety of employers who make up their supply chain. It is vital we maximise these fantastic job opportunities for the citizens of the West Midlands, giving them the skills they need in the labour market now and for years to come.”
Image credit: iStock
