CEO announced for National College for High Speed Rail
FORMER FirstGroup HR director John Evans has been appointed as the launch chief executive officer of the National College for High Speed Rail.
The college, which will have bases in Birmingham and Doncaster, will provide trained engineers for the HS2 project. It will also put in place links with a network of training providers across the UK.
Plans for a 61,350 sq ft building at Innovation Campus Birmingham’s Faraday Wharf base, near Aston University, have now gone out to public consultation ahead of a formal application to the city council.
At transport company FirstGroup, Evans oversaw HR strategy and delivery.
With more than 25 years’ experience in marketing and HR, he has worked for organisations across the public and private sectors including Strathclyde Police, Diageo and British Airways.
As CEO of the NCHSR Evans will take responsibility for the development of the college in terms of shaping the curriculum, college design and also the critical liaison with stakeholders, including employers, to help deliver a new generation of engineers for the rail industry.
Commenting on the appointment, chair of the college board Terry Morgan said: “John represents a hugely important addition to the National College for High Speed Rail and I’m extremely pleased to welcome him to the team. His commitment and passion for people development will be vital as we move closer to opening the college in two years’ time.
“The National College for High Speed Rail has a unique opportunity to ensure that the skills needed to support the delivery of HS2 are in place and able to respond to other infrastructure projects in future.”
Evans said: “I am delighted to be joining the college at an exciting and pivotal point in its development. The opportunity to be involved in shaping the college is a huge professional and personal incentive for me.
“I am passionate about the development of young engineering and other talent and I believe it to be critical to building the UK’s future workforce. I am really looking forward to playing a key role in developing the college which will contribute hugely to the delivery of HS2.”
