HS2 Ltd has handed over the keys to the new Euston Skills Centre to Camden Council. Situated in the construction accommodation building on the site of the old Maria Fidelis School, the new facility will support HS2’s strategic legacy around employment opportunities for local communities and people from disadvantaged and under-represented groups. It will also support workforce requirements for other infrastructure and housing in Camden.

HS2 is providing a total of £4.1million for the delivery and to support the running of the Euston Skills Centre (ESC). Camden Council will be the sole operator of the facility.

The new centre is situated looking out onto the site where a new HS2 station at Euston is proposed. To support learning, where possible, HS2’s station construction partner, Mace Dragados joint venture (MDjv), has kept utility services and systems exposed to act as a learning aid for students.

The ESC is set across two floors with a double height atrium space serving as the reception entrance. The atrium is south facing and will provide a light and airy welcome to students coming into the new learning facility.

The ground floor is designated as workshop spaces and includes a large covered outdoor workshop which will be used to support learning blockwork, carpentry, and wet trades. Classroom facilities have been built on the first floor.

Enabling works for the development at Euston is ongoing, despite main construction work being paused. The government is now looking at an alternative vision for Euston, including a privately funded station.

Speaking about the handover of the Euston Skills Centre, HS2’s Euston Client Director, Andy Swift, said:

“HS2 has delivered on its commitment to provide a brand new facility for Camden which will provide training opportunities for local people across the borough. Our contractor, Mace Dragados JV, have expertly constructed a centre which will serve as an educational hub in an area where we expect many career opportunities in construction and infrastructure.”

Jason Millett, Director on behalf of the Mace Dragados Joint Venture, said:

“It is important to us as a joint venture that the work we do at Euston benefits the local community; and the opening of this new skills centre will support people in Camden to develop their skills – as well as providing economic benefits, broadening the access to skilled labour for projects being delivered across the borough. We’re proud to have worked with HS2 and Camden Council on its construction, and we look forward to seeing students start to use the new facilities in the coming months.”

HS2, through our station construction partner MDjv, has already partnered with Camden to deliver a fast-track job training programme to support local unemployed people into a new career. In 2022, the two week scheme enabled Steve Boyle to gain new skills and get a job with Clipfine, one of MDJV’s sub-contractors at Euston.

Steve said:

“Living locally, I have been able to see first hand the scale of change that is proposed around Euston. After hearing about training programmes to work on HS2 from the Camden Jobs and Skills Fair, I was offered the opportunity to complete a course and start a new career, even in my 50s.”

The skills centre sits on top of 40 innovative piles, which will draw ground heat through the foundations to provide carbon-free renewable energy to the building. Known as HIPER* piles, they were installed as part of HS2’s Innovation programme, in partnership with the developer, Keltbray. It is estimated that the innovative foundation technology will harness enough energy to supply 80% of the building’s heating and hot water.

* HIPER: Hollow Impressed Precast Energy Reusable Pile