HS2 Ltd is delivering Britain’s new high-speed railway, improving connections between London and Birmingham while helping create a modern rail network for the future. By increasing rail capacity, improving reliability and supporting more sustainable travel, HS2 will help connect people to jobs, education and opportunities.
As one of the UK’s largest infrastructure programmes, HS2 is supporting thousands of jobs, apprenticeships and training opportunities. Building a railway requires a wide range of skills, from engineering and construction to digital technology, environmental science, sustainability, project management and design.
The skills developed through major infrastructure projects are highly transferable and can lead to careers across transport, energy, housing, water and other sectors, helping develop the workforce needed to build Britain’s future.
APPRENTICESHIP CASE STUDY – HS2
“I used to look out of my bedroom window and see all the work taking place on HS2 – now I’m helping to build it. In the past, getting a job like this would mean travelling to London, but this project is opening up opportunities on the doorstep for young people like me in Birmingham.”
Growing up in Birmingham, minutes from Curzon Street Station, Mohammed followed the progress of HS2 with interest.
After finishing his GCSEs, Mohammed began studying for a BTEC in engineering but craved a more hands-on experience. While taking a year out to consider his next move, Mohammed was excited to discover a T-Level course with placements available working on HS2 with Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV).
The placement introduced Mohammed to many different aspects of construction, but it was civil engineering which most appealed. After completing his course, he successfully applied for a Civil Engineering Degree Level Apprenticeship with BBV, which combines working on HS2 with studying at the University of Wolverhampton one day a week.
Mohammed is convinced that the blend of on-site experience, office work and university study means he is getting the best of all possible options, and he enjoys the variety that each day brings.
From watching the construction of HS2 from his bedroom window, Mohammed is proud to be delivering one of Europe’s biggest infrastructure projects. He loves seeing the structures he is working on take shape and can’t help pointing them out to friends and family.
And, although he is not looking too far ahead just yet, Mohammed can already see the opportunities that HS2 will open up for him as a young civil engineer as his career progresses.
Mohammed Sharif, 19, was HS2’s 2000th apprentice, joining the project in September 2025.
