The construction industry opens its doors to the next generation

By Nicky Godding

19 March 2024

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Open Doors - Build UK

Open Doors 2024 kicks off today with the first visitors going behind the scenes of construction sites and workplaces across the UK to see the wide range of career opportunities available in the industry.

There are 220 events taking place until Saturday, from high profile construction projects to manufacturing facilities, offices and training centres, offering an exclusive insight into what it is like to work in construction.

Highlights include events at high-end commercial developments in London and Birmingham, where new technologies are being put into action to create Grade A office space.

19 Cornwall Street is an extensive refurbishment in the heart of Birmingham’s business district, where Willmott Dixon is transforming the 139,000 sq ft building into a net zero carbon operating, smart-enabled office building that meets the standards demanded by today’s employers.

Delivered each year by Build UK, Open Doors gives young people and those looking for a change of career a unique opportunity to see construction in action and find out more about the 180 different careers available.

Build UK is the leading representative organisation for the UK construction industry. It brings together clients, cntractors, trade associations representing a wide range of specialist contractors, professional services, and other organisations committed to industry collaboration to promote the value of construction and drive change that strengthens the sector.

Build UK Chair Julie White, who will be attending the event at 19 Cornwall Street, said: “I can’t wait to show off our fantastic industry this week! Open Doors enables people to see first-hand the exciting projects we deliver and the talented people we have in our teams, who are applying the latest technology to overcome a wide variety of challenges. Construction needs to recruit 50,000 new entrants each year, and there is no better way than Open Doors to show there is a career in construction for everyone, whatever their skills and interests.”

By Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe.

After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts.

She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.