HS2 supporting deferred university students following COVID-19 pandemic

Credit: HS2 Ltd

HS2 Ltd – the company delivering Britain’s new low carbon, high-speed railway – is helping to support students who have deferred their university place due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UK government pledged that students who had planned to study during 2020, but were offered a deferred university place, would benefit from a package of support that provides opportunities to gain new skills, access to work placements and additional learning which supports their career development.

HS2 is proud to be supporting the initiative and is inviting 30 young people to join the organisation for a one-week virtual work experience placement, where they can work alongside and learn from some of the very best in the industry.

The University and College Admissions Service (UCAS) has now written to deferral students on HS2 Ltd’s behalf to promote the placement opportunities within its engineering, environment and finance teams. The choice of three specialist subject areas will enable students to apply for places that align to their future career aspirations and give them a valuable head start in their chosen profession.

Universities Minister, Michelle Donelan, said: “This has been a difficult year for some students, which is why this government announced a package of support for those who had to defer their studies, including skills programmes, career advice and a range of work placements. I am pleased companies like HS2 are stepping up to provide these opportunities to help students gain valuable skills and experience in specialist areas, and offering the chance to be involved in a major infrastructure project.”

In addition to learning about the challenges and unique opportunities associated with delivering one of Europe’s biggest infrastructure projects, students will engage with HS2 personnel, including the senior leadership team, to gain a greater insight into their day-to-day roles and how their career pathways have developed.

Richard Winter, HS2 Ltd’s Education Manager, said: “Young people have been hit hard by the impacts of the pandemic, so we’ve put a number of steps in place to ensure that HS2 plays its part by supporting them with their career development. This is a once in a lifetime project, so, understandably, there’s a huge demand for work placements with us. We’re delighted that we’re able to welcome even more students in 2021, expanding on our existing commitments to support pupils from schools and colleges along the line of the railway, as well as those referred to us through our partnership with the Social Mobility Foundation.”

HS2 more than doubled the number of graduates it welcomed into this business in 2020 and will begin recruitment for its 2021 graduate programme in the coming weeks. It has also committed to creating at least 2,000 apprenticeships during the life cycle of the project within HS2 Ltd and its growing supply chain across the country.