Construction partners building HS2 have joined forces to deliver an education programme for young people in Ealing with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The initiative from HS2 in its Skills, Employment and Education strategy commitments aims to encourage more young people to consider transport infrastructure related careers.
Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA, Skanska Costain STRABAG, Mace Dragados and Align JV worked with the Ealing SEND Hub to deliver the programme.
Three schools in Ealing – John Chilton, St Ann’s and Springhallow – took part in the programme which included mock job interviews through to working alongside HS2’s community and traffic management teams.
During the eight-week course, HS2’s four contractors delivered science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning sessions and provided tours of HS2’s construction sites. The sessions explained the different jobs and skills needed to build the new the high-speed rail network and provided guidance on career pathways – including opportunities to join HS2 on work experience and placement days.
Ambrose Quashie, HS2’s legacy manager for Greater London said: “We want local people to benefit from the jobs and opportunities that HS2 is creating, and our contractors are working exceptionally hard to create pathways into training and employment for young people and adults with SEND.”
Ms Quashie added: “We look forward to working with the Ealing SEND Hub to engage more young people in the months and years ahead, and we hope that this initiative will inspire young people to consider a career on HS2 in the future.”
As Disability Confident employers, HS2 and its construction partners work with employment support services and local charities to help people with SEND to have careers helping to build the new high-speed railway.
Lisa Quinn, co-director, Business Education Events, a community interest company which brings employers and students together said: “This was an incredible experience for our young SEND people who were given access to everyone working on HS2, from catering staff to engineers and the senior management team. Each session was meticulously planned with the disabilities of the students in mind. The programme was inclusive and showed dignity to all, we can’t wait to come back.”
Frederick Hill, a student at Springhallow Post-16 School in Greenford said: “I really enjoyed learning about HS2. I liked all the trucks on the construction sites and looking at the steel poles that will be there for years to come. Everyone was kind to me.”
.){kind=link}