The new National College for High Speed Rail which opens in Birmingham in September has appointed its first principal.

Jackie Grubb will lead the education of the next generation of rail technicians and engineers at the largest of the Government's five new, employer-led national colleges.

She will oversee the training provision for around 1,300 students annually at the new £40 million institution, which is based next to Aston University and also has a sister college in Doncaster.

Students will gain skills in the various fields of rail engineering and be a short walk away from the new HS2 high-speed rail terminal in Curzon Street.

Ms Grubb began work as a lecturer and has since taken on a variety of senior roles including director at Swindon College and deputy principal at Basingstoke College of Technology.

She 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 new, 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 which produce the talented young people they need.

"The college is set to create a new generation of highly proficient workers based across the country who will help make Britain's infrastructure stronger."

The campus, in Dartmouth Middleway, will specialise in civil engineering, command, control and communications while the base in Doncaster will focus on rolling stock, track systems and power.