Recruiting the next generation through Open Doors

The industry needs to recruit an extra 225,000 workers by 2027 if we are to meet expected construction demand, according to a recent CITB Construction Skills Network (CSN) report. This translates as an additional 45,000 workers per year.

Judging by the thousands of people visiting sites during Open Doors week in March, the appetite to learn more about our industry is huge. And we certainly need it to be, considering the chronic skills shortage that we face.

Numbers like those provided by the CITB lay bare the challenge, especially when the Office for National Statistics (ONS) records 20% of the construction workforce as being over the age of 50, rising to 58% when you include the 29-45 age group. We urgently need more young people, and this requires an industrywide effort that can be kickstarted by events such as Open Doors.

Delivered by Build UK, Open Doors provides a unique opportunity to see at first hand the wide range of roles available in construction by visiting “live” sites and other facilities across the country. It is now a major part of the sales pitch for a new generation to choose a career in the industry.

The concerted effort to market construction to the all-important 13-18 year-old demographic is starting to pay off

From 13-18 March, this year’s event saw nearly 5,000 people go behind the site hoardings and gain a unique insight into the people and opportunities that make our industry an exciting place to be.

It was noticeable how many pupils from schools and colleges visited sites and saw what the industry has to offer. This proves that the concerted effort to market construction to the all-important 13-18 year-old demographic is starting to pay off.

Recent figures from YouGov show that only 3% of people between the ages of 18 and 24 are looking at construction as a potential profession, so attracting younger people to replace those leaving or retiring remains a major challenge, with many simply not aware of how modern and innovative our sector is.

Breadth of roles

It is vital that we help the next generation to better understand the wide range of roles available in construction, as well as their impact on society. Many Open Doors visitors expressed surprise that working in construction also meant they could work in a diverse range of areas including IT, design, technology, law, bidding, marketing and sales. Addressing this perception gap will go a long way to inspiring them to join us.

We know that engaging with young people through Open Doors leads to tangible results, such as in the case of Michael Oppong who visited Willmott Dixon’s Oasis Academy Arena as part of an Open Doors visit in 2015. Eight years later, Michael is now a management trainee quantity surveyor in our company, having taken the degree-level apprenticeship route into the industry.

And Michael is just one of many examples of Open Doors having a direct impact on industry recruitment.

This year 87% of visitors said they were now more likely to consider a career in construction as a result of Open Doors, and Build UK’s review of the event shows just how effective it is in terms of inspiring more young people to take the first step on their career journey in our industry. Feedback from educational visit coordinators to Willmott Dixon sites was excellent, and included comments about how the event “solidified [students’] desire to work in construction and pursue that as a career”.

At Willmott Dixon, we always want our Open Doors visitors to feel a connection between the project they see and the benefits it will bring to their local community. So this year we ensured a greater variety of sites than ever before took part, with our 30 sites including transport interchanges, police stations, city-centre housing schemes, schools and sites with a net-zero focus.

While climate change is a priority for everyone, it is a particularly resonant issue for young people, thanks to the likes of Greta Thunberg mobilising a generation to demand action. Open Doors proved to be a great way for us to discuss the positive contribution that construction is making to the country’s net zero objectives, and visitors were impressed with the energy of our team and the innovative technology we are using to do this.

A diverse place to work

Open Doors is the best route we have to connect communities with the people who make transformational projects in their local areas happen, whether these are site managers, operatives, or apprentices training on the job. Negative stereotyping has often framed construction as male-oriented and lacking in diversity, but this is changing rapidly and site visits are the perfect way to showcase dynamic and inclusive project teams, as well as the work the industry is doing to incorporate flexible working practices.

Open Doors will return in 2024, with dates to be announced shortly. We cannot wait to take part and build on this year’s success to make it better than ever.

Andrew Geldard is chief communications officer at Willmott Dixon