ISS invests in new training hub
ISS Labour, part of diversified recruitment group Specialist People Services, has invested in a state-of-the-art training centre in Greater Manchester to support the £25bn investment in the UK’s rail network.
The first of its kind in the North of England, the training centre in Salford sees ISS Labour address the current skills shortage across the rail industry by providing the facilities required to train and develop engineers.
With Network Rail committed to investing £25bn in rail infrastructure between now and 2019, there is a pressing need for highly-qualified linesmen to be trained to deliver electrification projects across the UK to meet rising demand for rail services.
By 2040, the number of miles travelled on Britain’s railways will be double the figure in 2010, according to government projections.
ISS Labour’s training hub, which has created five jobs, is expected to train more than 10,000 people by 2020.
It strengthens the company’s presence in the North West, where it currently employs 200 people along with 650 across the UK.
ISS Labour chief executive Simon Higgens, CEO at ISS Labour, said: “As part of its ongoing investment work to support rising demand for Britain’s rail services, Network Rail is electrifying hundreds of miles of track across the country. Clearly this creates long-term demand for skilled engineers to carry out this specialist work.”
In the year to March 2015, turnover at SPS increased by 30% to £116.5m.
