A woman has been appointed to run the National College of High Speed Rail (nchsr.ac.uk), which will produce the next generation of rail engineers in time for the arrival of HS2.

Jackie Grubb has more than 30 years’ experience in Further Education, in positions that include director of Swindon College and deputy principal of Basingstoke College of Technology.

She will oversee the training of about 1,300 students per year at the National College, which will have campuses in Birmingham and Doncaster.

Ms Grubb said: “With the college gearing up to launch this September and produce a new generation of highly skilled professionals who will lead Britain’s rail industry, this is a great time to join the team.

“I’m looking forward to building a diverse workforce for the rail sector, and I’m absolutely committed to working with our growing network of employers to offer cutting-edge technical and professional courses that produce the talented young people they need.”