500 jobs to be created through HS2 contract

Five hundred jobs are to be created in the West Midlands after Fortel Group was awarded a contract with Balfour Beatty Vinci HS2.

The firm is set to support a 60 mile stretch of the line between Long Itchington Wood Green tunnel, across the Delta Junction/Birmingham Spur and onwards north to Lichfield.

It already supplies more than 2,000 staff to more than 130 construction and infrastructure projects across the UK and is now looking to fulfil upwards of 500 roles including; general labour, steel-fixers, carpenters, supervisors, charge hands, foremen, gangers, machine operators, truck drivers, traffic marshals, and health & safety personnel.

Nick Jones the head of labour supply at Fortel said: “We were thrilled to pick up this contract and know that we will be linking the skills within the West Midlands with one of the biggest construction projects for many years taking place within the region.

“We are going to be driving forward the construction skills capability across the region’s communities and offering great opportunities for individuals working here. We join other peer organisations in a co-located collaborative physical labour desk to support the joint venture. Success is dependent upon us all working together to achieve the potential for enterprise and individuals within the West Midlands.

“This win will bring great benefits to the local economy with huge opportunities for local people and we are passionate that these jobs go to people in the area. These roles will bring great diversity of people and transferable skills into the infrastructure sector.”

Gavin Sutherland, labour director for Balfour Beatty Vinci HS2 added: “The collaborative Labour Desk has mobilised really well; the culture of mutual dependence is tangible.  This will be the backbone of an exemplar employment model where we can build and leave a legacy of construction and infrastructure skillsets amongst the West Midlands population”.