2 March 2015

Crossrail recently celebrated creating its 400th apprenticeship, supported by companies like Costain who have committed themselves to creating opportunities for young people.

Crossrail originally set a target of creating 400 apprentices over the lifetime of the project. Given the main civil engineering and construction works aren’t due to finish until 2017, with services commencing through central London in 2018, that target has been beaten by a considerable margin.

To celebrate, many of the apprentices that have worked on the project since it began in 2009 attended a special event at the Bond Street Eastern Ticket Hall in central London. The event was attended by Patrick McLoughlin, Secretary of State for Transport, and Terry Morgan, Crossrail’s Chairman, together with representatives from each of the contractors working on the project.

Crossrail is currently Europe’s largest infrastructure project. Once finished, the 118 kilometres high frequency rail route will run from Reading and Heathrow in the west, through new twin-bore 21 km tunnels under central London, before forking at Stepney Green for Shenfield near Brentwood, and Abbey Wood in southeast London.

Overall, around two in five (44%) Crossrail apprenticeships have been filled by people that were previously not in work, a figure that is double the UK average. To date, Costain has contributed 24 apprenticeships to the Crossrail project, employed in areas like civil engineering, quantity surveying and business administration, as well as tunnelling and environmental assessment.

In 2014, Costain took on 49 apprentices across 22 disciplines, and this number is expected to be higher in 2015. Working within a structured development programme, the training includes academic study and work experience, leading to a Certificated Apprenticeship and then Higher Apprenticeship status, with a requirement to obtain, where applicable, professional membership of a relevant institution.

Caroline Towner, Apprenticeship Manager on the Learning & Organisational Development Team, said: “We are extremely proud of our apprentices and the contribution they make to the Company and to the wider industry. This year, Costain has made 55 apprenticeships available, but this could increase over the course of the year as new projects begin.”

Lee Davies, Costain’s Operations Director, added: “Apprentices are crucial for bridging the skills gap and for ensuring the future success of the industry. Working on the biggest rail project in Europe, we are delighted to have had the opportunity to develop young talent and give them a start in the construction industry."

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