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HS2 Case Study
Ensuring Efficiencies for Candidates and Recruiters
The Background
HS2 is the most ambitious infrastructure project in the UK, and the first new railway north of London in over 120 years.
HS2 were on a journey to accelerate recruitment. With a goal to help meet the demands of their construction projects, they required robust assessment tools enabling the hiring of high quality, diverse candidates; while ensuring employer brand was enhanced throughout leading to significant efficiencies for both candidates and recruiters.
HS2 were on a journey to accelerate recruitment. With a goal to help meet the demands of their construction projects, they required robust assessment tools enabling the hiring of high quality, diverse candidates; while ensuring employer brand was enhanced throughout leading to significant efficiencies for both candidates and recruiters.
Our Objective
HS2 partnered with Amberjack to create a bespoke assessment process for their early talent roles and have now come to the end of their first campaign, having seen some great resultsacross all the factors we set out to achieve.
Initially, as HS2 continued to assemble the capability, processes, systems, and people necessary to procure and manage the construction of the project, they knew their headcount would need to increase, with an estimated 1000 people needed to ensure growth.
To achieve the planned growth, HS2 required a process that:
• Included robust and measurable selection and assessment tools.
• Increased efficiency in the process both from a candidate and recruiter perspective.
• Enabled the recruitment of a diverse and high performing team.
• Supported informed hiring decisions, increase the predictive quality of new hires and minimising the effect of personal bias on selection decisions.
In addition, it was critical to ensure that the tools in use were fit for purpose now and in the future, as well as championing a process that enhanced employer brand while delivering a consistent high quality candidate experience.
Initially, as HS2 continued to assemble the capability, processes, systems, and people necessary to procure and manage the construction of the project, they knew their headcount would need to increase, with an estimated 1000 people needed to ensure growth.
To achieve the planned growth, HS2 required a process that:
• Included robust and measurable selection and assessment tools.
• Increased efficiency in the process both from a candidate and recruiter perspective.
• Enabled the recruitment of a diverse and high performing team.
• Supported informed hiring decisions, increase the predictive quality of new hires and minimising the effect of personal bias on selection decisions.
In addition, it was critical to ensure that the tools in use were fit for purpose now and in the future, as well as championing a process that enhanced employer brand while delivering a consistent high quality candidate experience.
Our Solution
In October 2022, HS2 partnered with Amberjack for the redesign of their early talent programme
roles across apprentices and graduates, with a range of job families included. Amberjack’s vision
is to enable a world in which individuals are hired and progressed solely based on their future
potential, rather than past experience or privilege. This was a vision that completely aligned with
HS2’a objectives, and so we embarked on the journey together to create our new assessment
and selection process, which comprises of:
• A short application form.
• An immersive online blended assessment which is the same for all candidates. Identifying potential through a series of realistic, job-relevant situations, verbal and numerical intellect, and video interview questions.
• A final stage virtual assessment centre which is tailored in parts to apprentices and graduates, was rolled out via Amberjack’s digital platform, showcasing that HS2 are ‘more than just a railway’, bringing to life the benefits of HS2 and giving candidates real insight.
• A short application form.
• An immersive online blended assessment which is the same for all candidates. Identifying potential through a series of realistic, job-relevant situations, verbal and numerical intellect, and video interview questions.
• A final stage virtual assessment centre which is tailored in parts to apprentices and graduates, was rolled out via Amberjack’s digital platform, showcasing that HS2 are ‘more than just a railway’, bringing to life the benefits of HS2 and giving candidates real insight.
The Impact
HS2 and Amberjack’s partnership has achieved
great successes in realising initial objectives. From
significant improvements in the candidate process,
benefiting both candidates and recruiters, to
alignment with long-term goals, growth in every
focus area was achieved.
HS2 are seeing stronger candidates later in the process with good predictive validity throughout. Greater efficiencies in candidate and recruiter time, with an assessment to offer ratio of 3:1 in comparison to 5:1 last year. The organisation saved 118 working days in assessment with Amberjack’s digital solution.
Significant improvements in diversity of hires. With their new intake demonstrating 41% BAME in comparison to 36% last year for graduate hires. A great candidate experience was achieved. Overall candidates scored the Online Assessment NPS +56.20 and the Assessment Centre NPS +62.16, which are graded as “Great” scores:
HS2 are seeing stronger candidates later in the process with good predictive validity throughout. Greater efficiencies in candidate and recruiter time, with an assessment to offer ratio of 3:1 in comparison to 5:1 last year. The organisation saved 118 working days in assessment with Amberjack’s digital solution.
Significant improvements in diversity of hires. With their new intake demonstrating 41% BAME in comparison to 36% last year for graduate hires. A great candidate experience was achieved. Overall candidates scored the Online Assessment NPS +56.20 and the Assessment Centre NPS +62.16, which are graded as “Great” scores:
