The full-scale of the HS2 jobs bonanza is today revealed in an independent report carried out by Albion Economics and published by High Speed Rail Industry Leaders.

By analyzing the contracts already issued by HS2 Ltd and the programme for the coming years, and considering both direct roles at HS2 Ltd and throughout the supply chain, the independent report reveals that:

• By 2020, 26,650 people will have worked on the HS2 project throughout the supply chain. Two-thirds of these roles will be in construction, with the remaining one-third made up of designers and management roles. By 2020, HS2 will employ more people than any other infrastructure project in the UK.
• Of these jobs, more than half (some 14,400) will be created by the contracts already out to tender from HS2. 
• A substantial proportion of these roles will take the form of apprenticeships. Overall in Phase 1, if apprenticeship levels are achieved at the levels suggested by the Transport Infrastructure Skills Strategy, then we would expect HS2 Phase 1 to support between 5,000 and 9,000 new apprenticeships. This will make one of the biggest apprenticeship schemes ever created in the UK. The National High Speed Rail College, based in Birmingham and Doncaster, has a key role to play in developing and training young people for these opportunities.

"The HS2 jobs bonanza is not something for the dim and distant future. It is starting now and by the end of the decade the project will have employed some 27,000 people, making it by far-and-away the biggest single source of new jobs in the UK infrastructure sector.

"The jobs bonanza from HS2 will be a nationwide one too, with around 70% of the new employment being created outside London.

"Both HS2 Ltd and the Government are making cracking progress at pushing this project forward. Today’s jobs report shows just how big the benefits will be as long as they are able to continue to do so.”

>>Download the independent report here<<

For further information please contact Chris Rumfitt, Field Consulting at 07919 307842 or chris.rumfitt@wearefield.co.uk.