The construction industry is rather keen to encourage people to look at them as a potential career choice, and are going to let people get past the protective hoardings and have a look at some building sites next month.
Despite the home decorating industry having a bit of a salubrious reputation, commercial construction is an increasingly highly skilled — and highly paid — career choice. And it’s to dispel some of the image problems that the construction industry has amongst those who see it as just putting down dodgy paving slabs these open weekends are now held.
When I started writing, if you didn’t write for the trade press, basically there was minimal interest in letting someone onto a building site. Today, the construction industry seems a lot more willing to let ordinary journalists and bloggers onto their sites.
And I notice, the general public. Apart from the Open Doors weekend, I have seen a number of building sites have had open days, although usually archaeological in nature — the PPE barrier is slowly being penetrated.
It’s good for the industry as a whole, especially with a number of huge infrastructure projects likely to emerge over the next decade or so — HS2, Crossrail 2, something airport related, etc. More awareness of construction skills and the more chance of locally trained people being being hired to do the specialised tasks.
Aimed at the curious bystanders and potential recruits, the open weekend is a good chance to see what goes on behind all those wooden hoardings and find out why people wear bright coloured clothing and big clunky boots.
The Open Doors event takes place through out the UK at the end of next month — and there are a fair number of sites still available in London.
September is looking like a busy month for going inside places!
- 12-15th Sept – Heritage Open Days
- 21-22 Sept – London Open House Weekend
- 27th-28th Sept – Open Doors Weekend