Campaign to attract more people into careers in construction kicks off this month

Top @CITB_Scotland construction sites throughout Scotland to peel back hoardings… for one week only @OpenDoorsUK 

A campaign to attract more people into careers in construction kicks off this month, as 16 Scottish construction sites welcome in members of the public for special tours – including a world-leading research facility at the University of Glasgow.

Open Doors 2020 – which is delivered by Build UK in partnership with CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) – will take place at sites throughout the country between Monday 16th and Saturday 21st March. Visitors will have the chance to see the many career opportunities available and learn more about how to join the industry.

Suzannah Nichol MBE, Chief Executive of Build UK, said: “Working takes up quite a bit of your day, so it is really important to find a job that gives you pride, satisfaction and enjoyment. It’s for these reasons that I love working in construction, an industry offering so many different roles, all of which play a part in building the world around us. I hope that by showing the next generation just how exciting the world of construction can be, they might just become the construction workers, project managers, directors, designers and clients of the future.”

The 15 venues include new builds as well as established icons, including the ambitious £113 million Research Hub at The University of Glasgow, structural repairs to Edinburgh’s famous North Bridge, situated within a World Heritage Site above the Category A listed Waverley Station, and a major expansion of the traditional buildings at Merkinch Primary School in Inverness, originally built in 1876.

Barry Dawson, Local Manager, CITB Scotland, said: “CITB is proud to be a partner in this always popular initiative. This year’s Open Doors event allows visitors access to a huge variety of construction sites around the country where they can see for themselves the many careers available in our sector. We encourage people from all ages and backgrounds to sign up and see just what construction has to offer.”

Once on site, visitors will gain exclusive access to various aspects of the construction work being carried out, along with tours and presentations. They will also be encouraged to find out more about potential careers in construction at the industry’s careers website – Go Construct.

David Hall, Programme Director, Campus Expansion at The University of Glasgow, said:

“We are pleased to host Open Doors 2020 on our campus, as we undertake our ambitious Campus Development Programme, which includes the unique and world-leading Research Hub.

“All major construction projects rely on recruiting top talent and I would encourage anyone interested in a career in construction to sign up to these events to see how they can take that interest further.”

The event is also supported by the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) and Considerate Contractors Scheme (CCS).

Kieran Ronnie, Social Value & Community Manager, Multiplex, said: 

“The construction industry provides lots of opportunities for people of various skill sets so it’s important that we’re able to bring major projects like the University of Glasgow’s Research Hub to life to explain to people what’s involved and to highlight the many career paths available.”