Derby has been shortlisted to become the home of the National College for High Speed Rail.
The college is expected to create 2,000 apprentices during the lifetime of the construction of the HS2 line.
Derby is up against Manchester, Birmingham and Doncaster to become the first of many national colleges.
Spokesman for Derby and Derbyshire Rail Forum, Rupert Brennan-Brown, said: “This is yet more good news in this, our 175th anniversary year.
“It makes perfect sense to have the people being trained in the same city as those with the current expertise
“One of the things that we pride ourselves on at the Derby And Derbyshire Rail Forum is that we could build you a whole railway from our membership.
“The Forum looks forward to working with Derby City Council, Derby University and Derby College to make sure that Derby’s case is as strong as possible.”
John Forkin, Managing Director at Marketing Derby, echoed Mr Brennan-Brown’s words.
He said: “I am not surprised that Derby has been shortlisted.
“A list without Derby on it would have felt wrong.
“I think it is really important to press our case as a home for the railway for the last 175 years as well as being home of the largest rail hub in the world.
“At the heart of Derby is innovation and that is exactly what the railway needs to develop the young workers of the future.”
As well as bidding for the college, Derby is also campaigning for the HS2 East Midlands station to be sited in the city – rather than the current proposal, which is Toton, 10 miles away, across the border in Nottinghamshire.
Announcing the shortlist Skills and Enterprise Minister, Matthew Hancock, said: “We received a number of very strong proposals, and not all can be taken forward to the final stage.
“However, it is clear that there is already some excellent partnership activity taking place between education providers and the rail industry across the country which is resulting in the delivery of some outstanding provision.
Representatives from the four cities will make presentations to in late June with a final decision being made next month.
Source: Derby Telegraph
