“The decision to scrap HS2 from Birmingham to Manchester feels like a real betrayal, there’s no point sugar-coating it or saying otherwise.
“We have been heavily involved in training people in entry rail and civil engineering skills to work on the different phases and that has included more than 50 apprentices, returners to the world of employment and those that have been long-term unemployed.
“The project has delivered thousands of immediate and sustainable jobs and, importantly, has given us the opportunity to engage with the disengaged. We were able to say ‘give this a chance as we can give you the basic skills and then train you to specialise’ – all of this with the best incentive a person can have, the prospect of a well-paid and long-term career at the end of it.
“This isn’t about political point scoring; this is going to have a real impact on the lives of thousands of people who felt that HS2 would give them a chance to prove themselves and achieve more in life.
“We join with many others in our sector and across the Midlands and the North in insisting that the Government lives up to its promise of redirecting any savings from HS2 into investment in supporting critical rail and infrastructure improvements programmes across our region and beyond.”
David Carns, Managing Director of National Infrastructure Solutions (NIS), a Wolverhampton-based training specialist in rail, civil engineering and construction skills.
