Fortel to find 500 staff for HS2 work

Mitch Turbitt ( VGC), Josh Parkin ( Danny Sullivans), Sham Sangha (Fortel Services) and Ryan Grandison( McGinleys)

Walsall-based Fortel Group, which supplies more than 2,000 staff to more than 130 construction and infrastructure projects across the UK, has landed the contract with the joint venture Balfour Beatty Vinci for HS2, the new high speed railway, supporting a 60 mile stretch of the line.

It covers the HS2 N1 and N2 phase which stretches between Long Itchington Wood Green tunnel in Warwickshire, across the Delta Junction/Birmingham Spur and onwards north to Lichfield.

Fortel is looking to fill upwards of 500 roles including general labour, steel-fixers, carpenters, supervisors, charge hands, foremen, gangers, machine operators, truck drivers, traffic marshals, and health and safety personnel.

Nick Jones, 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, 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 skill sets amongst the West Midlands population.

“By working together, bringing all of our skills, innovation and experience to the table, we are focused on delivering the project and realising the enterprise potential for the region together with the prospect of great careers in construction and infrastructure operation,” he said.