Apprenticeship opportunities have been announced across the infrastructure sector as the government increases support for young people entering training.

Major industry players, including HS2, Costain and civil engineering and building contractor Farrans, have announced significant recruitment to bring fresh talent onboard for critical engineering and construction projects. 

In the West Midlands, HS2 is launching a new fast-track training programme to help unemployed residents secure a construction apprenticeship on the new railway.

The programme is being led by HS2’s West Midlands construction partners, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV) and Mace Dragados. BBV are delivering the 90km section of the railway between Warwickshire, Birmingham and Staffordshire, and Mace Dragados are building Curzon Street Station.

The new initiative builds on the success of BBV’s established routes into employment programmes. In the West Midlands, 2,273 unemployed local residents have already secured a job on HS2 and 885 have started an apprenticeship.

The two joint ventures are now teaming up to deliver a new six-week general operatives training programme, which will equip participants with the skills and health and safety accreditation they need to start working in construction.

Candidates who successfully complete the six-week course, and want to progress their career in construction, will automatically qualify for an interview for an 18-month apprenticeship. The six-week general operatives training programme will be delivered at South and City College’s Bordesley Green campus and starts on 28 September. Eight successful candidates will go on to secure an 18-month Level 2 apprenticeship, where they will join the teams delivering the city’s new terminus station.

The government recently announced a package of measures aimed at increasing young people’s access to apprenticeships, technical education and training. Since 1 August, apprenticeship training has been fully funded for all eligible under-25s, while a new bursary worth up to £4,500 per household each year will support some Universal Credit families where taking up an apprenticeship could reduce household income.

It is also investing £287m to create more than 22,000 additional places across colleges and post-16 providers in England, including expanded construction courses. Smaller firms will receive a £2,000 bonus from October for hiring under-25 apprentices, alongside existing support worth up to £8,000. The measures are intended to help deliver 50,000 new youth apprenticeships by the end of this Parliament.

Costain says it is taking on a record number of apprentices in 2026 to support its delivery of critical national infrastructure across the UK. It is onboarding 50 apprentices, doubling last year’s intake, in response to growing work on long-term infrastructure projects - and its commitment to building a growing pipeline of talent.

The hiring activity is taking place across all of Costain’s infrastructure sectors, which include road, rail, integrated transport, energy, water, and defence and nuclear energy, and in a variety of disciplines, such as civil engineering, electrical and mechanical engineering, quantity surveying, finance and project management.

Costain’s apprentices will join some of the UK’s most important infrastructure projects including delivering the London tunnels section of HS2 as part of the Skanska Costain Strabag joint venture, strategic water infrastructure through long-term AMP8 frameworks with Southern Water and United Utilities, and critical utilities infrastructure upgrades for Sellafield.

More details on Costain’s planned early careers and apprenticeship intake for 2027 and how to apply will be released in November.

Catherine Duffy, chief people and sustainability officer at Costain, said: “The industry requires more skilled workers than ever to deliver critical infrastructure for a more prosperous, resilient and decarbonised UK, which makes it a hugely exciting time to enter the sector.”

Civil engineering and building contractor Farrans has opened applications for its 2027 graduate, placement and apprenticeship positions. Sixty places are available with successful candidates due to join the business from June-September 2027. The application process will remain open until December 2026.

Dominic Lavery, managing director of Farrans, said: “Our early careers cohort is a highly-valued group within our business, making up 10% of our workforce, and we are delighted to open applications for these 60 positions.

“Our industry needs skills and talent today to deliver the infrastructure of tomorrow and we have invested year-on-year in growing our graduate, placement and apprenticeship intake.”