Two young apprentices from Ealing have turned their placements on the HS2 project into long-term careers, securing free university degrees and four-year contract extensions after impressing employers at the Old Oak Common construction site.
Charlotte Thomas and Tyler Pearce-Scott joined Balfour Beatty VINCI Systra (BBVS), the team building the HS2 superhub, through entry-level apprenticeships. Both were offered extended roles and degree-level training after completing their initial two-year programmes.
Charlotte, 21, a former Brentside High School student, started on a Level 4 civil engineering apprenticeship. She has since worked on the design and construction of the 850-metre-long station box. She said: “My HS2 journey began at my local high school in Ealing. An initial conversation with HS2’s skills and employment team led to me securing a work experience placement, and when the opportunity to apply for an apprenticeship came along, I didn’t hesitate to go for it.”
Charlotte added: “It’s important to seize opportunities that come your way – you don’t realise your own potential until you try something new. That would certainly be my advice to others. I would have never imagined that I’d progress to studying Civil Engineering at the University of Exeter.”
Tyler, 20, also from Ealing, joined BBVS on a Level 3 Information Communication Technician apprenticeship. He revealed: “I was studying for my A-levels and realised part way through that it just wasn’t for me. I wanted a career in IT, but as a teenager, it was hard to find a way in.
“Securing an apprenticeship on such a huge project has opened a whole new world for me. The sheer scale of the Old Oak Common site is beyond belief, from one week to the next it looks different. I’ve been incredibly lucky to play a role in setting up and maintaining our IT systems and networks across the site. With advances in technology, there’s always a new challenge ahead, which is great.”
Both now study part-time – Charlotte at the University of Exeter and Tyler at Roehampton – while continuing to work on the HS2 site. Each having their £18,000 in tuition fees being paid for by their employer while also earning a salary.
Peter Gow, HS2’s project client director for Old Oak Common Station, said: “The arrival of Old Oak Common station has already driven a future £10 billion boost for the local economy, but the investment in local people is just as important as the investment in place.”
Also recognised is Niamh Meehan, 26, from Ealing, who was named West London College’s Apprentice of the Year after completing a Level 5 People Management apprenticeship. She developed a “Respect Reporting Tool” to support workplace equality, now adopted across BBVS sites.
Niamh said: “I’m passionate about equality in the workplace. Big projects like HS2 are driving change in the construction sector, and for me personally, I want women to feel confident that this is an industry where they can thrive.”
Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal, Ealing Council’s lead member for decent living incomes, said: “It’s great to hear how much these young people have achieved through their apprenticeships, which are a big part of our ambition to create more good jobs in the borough. Local employers who take on apprentices can expect to receive full support from us on hiring, employing, and training them. Apprentices, in turn, get unrivalled, on-the-job training, and a route into careers with decent pay.”
