Many of us working in the construction sector will remember the first time we donned a hard hat and set foot on site. There’s something unforgettable about the moment you realise how much complexity, planning and skill goes into the buildings and infrastructure that shape our lives each day.

That feeling is something that we want to capture and build on, and next week’s Open Doors event is the ideal way to do so. Delivered by Build UK and taking place from Monday 13^th to Saturday 18^th March, it’s an opportunity to not just tell young people and those looking for a career change about the wealth of opportunity in our sector, but actually show them. The goal? To showcase the construction sector as a career where you can really make an impact – economically, environmentally and socially.

The need to attract a new generation of talent is well documented. As a trustee of the CITB, I know it is estimating that 224,900 additional workers are needed by 2027 to meet demand. But a statistic without a story behind it, no matter how significant, is meaningless. It is a story, with personality and passion, that Open Doors allows us to tell – and what a story it is.