Transport Secretary Chris Grayling visited the Birmingham site of the new National College for High Speed Rail to see the high-tech training facility as it takes a step closer to completion.

The College, based in Birmingham’s university district, will play a vital role in ensuring Britain addresses the impending skills shortage in the engineering sector while upskilling the current workforce when it opens to students in September 2017.

It is estimated that British businesses will need approximately 87,000 graduate level engineers every year for the next ten years and 30 per cent of the current workforce will need further training to deliver the demands of the High Speed Rail industry.

Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, said: “HS2 will be the backbone of our national rail network and help us build an economy that works for all. The significant benefits of the scheme will not just be felt from when the trains start running. Work on the new College sites shows the transformational effect that HS2 is already having, creating jobs and supporting economic growth. Around 25,000 jobs and 2,000 apprenticeships will be generated during construction of HS2, which is due to begin next year.”

Whilst on site, Chris got to meet three of our apprentices, Charlie, Kane and Macauley.