West Midlands Mayor Andy Street says Bilston is at the heart of the region’s tram and train revolution, thanks to a new training centre.
The new rail training centre, at City of Wolverhampton College’s Wellington Road campus in Bilston, boasts more than 40 metres of railway track so students can learn the skills needed to build and maintain rail lines.
It is also the first college in the UK to offer training on innovative slab track technology, which is used in the construction of high-speed rail lines like HS2. It will also provide training on traditional rail and tram lines and is equipped with installation and maintenance equipment.
Mr Street, who leads the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), said: “The metro and rail networks are a huge part of my plan to connect the communities of the West Midlands to new jobs and opportunities – and Bilston is right at the heart of that revolution, thanks to this new college.
“We are already seeing unprecedented investment in our transport network with new Metro routes, five new railway stations, state-of-the-art climate-friendly buses, and new cycling and walking infrastructure – all on top of the billions being invested by the Government in HS2.
“But these projects are just the start of our plans to revolutionise public transport in the West Midlands, and so with billions of pounds worth of more investments lined up we need to make sure that local people have the skills they need to take advantage of all the jobs that will be created.
“This new Bilston Rail Training Centre will help make that happen.”
The centre was opened by Mr Street alongside Cllr Ian Brookfield, leader of City of Wolverhampton Council and will deliver rail training programmes, from beginner to advanced level, in partnership with National Infrastructure Solutions, a leading training provider in the rail, civil engineering and utilities industries.
Courses are available for newcomers to the sector who want to gain the skills employers are looking for, as well as those already working in the rail industry who want to upskill and develop their knowledge further.
As part of the project the WMCA is providing a funding investment of around £750,000 to train 300 students over next 12 months in rail installation and maintenance including slab track. This is in addition to wider Adult Education Budget funding for conventional rail training that has already been made available by the WMCA.
Anyone interested in enrolling for the new rail courses can register their interest by calling 01902 836000.