Prime Minister David Cameron and Skills Minister John Hayes recently visited Crossrail’s new Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy.
Apprentices and staff met the pair and talked of progress being made in training and education as the project gathers pace. Among the trainees is Nara Pina, 21, from Goodmayes, who after a spell of unemployment is hard at work building a new career in civil engineering.
The Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy will train up to 3,500 people to work on Crossrail. Once it is built the academy will carry on as a world centre of tunnelling construction training.
At least 400 apprenticeships will be created over the life of the Crossrail project. More than 70 apprentices have already started work.
