Designs for a new rail college in Birmingham which will educate the next generation of engineers have been unveiled.

The CGIs (above and below) show how the new National College for High Speed Rail headquarters on Birmingham Science Park Aston could look as a series of public consultation events are held.

The first is taking place today at Innovation Birmingham Campus next to Aston University with two more being held tomorrow and on November 9 at the city council's Lancaster Circus building.

Once these events have concluded, comments from the public will then be fed into the final designs before a formal planning application is lodged for the college which will be built on land off Venture Way.

A decision is then expected by next March.

Construction work on the three-storey, 61,350 sq ft building is due to start in April and be completed in time for 2017/18 academic year.

A second site will also be built in Doncaster.

Announced last year, the National College for High Speed Rail will provide specialist vocational training for future generations of engineers and it represents the next step in developing the workforce needed to build HS2 between London and Birmingham and other major rail and infrastructure projects.

Birmingham City Council leader Sir Albert Bore said: "Birmingham is at the heart of the HS2 development.

"Our plans for wider regeneration and job growth through key sites such as Curzon Station, UK Central and the maintenance depot at Washwood Heath are advancing at some pace.

"The arrival of the college will help deliver the education, skills and apprenticeships required to build run and maintain HS2.

"Once the college opens in Birmingham, it will be pivotal in providing the digital engineering and advanced construction skills needed by the rail sector and future infrastructure projects."