Open Doors will took place from Monday 17 – Saturday 22 March 2025.

Dates for Open Doors 2026 will be announced shortly.

Open Doors took place from Monday 17 – Saturday 22 March 2025.  You can read more about the 2024 event’s impact in our Review and see more in our Gallery.  A Review of Open Doors 2025 will be published shortly.

All Open Doors visits are provided free of charge.  Unfortunately, we are unable to assist with additional costs involved e.g. travel, but if personal protective equipment (PPE) is required the site will provide this for you.

If a suitable event does not become available by November 2025, please contact us and we will ask our event hosts if they can open one local to you. If we cannot source a local location for you we may suggest our online events instead.

Offering sessions on Saturdays can create many logistical challenges for the event hosts, meaning that fewer are available to book.  As an alternative you can:

• Contact your child’s school to encourage them to book a class visit on a weekday
• Contact the event host to ask them to provide you with a Visit Brief – you can then apply for an authorised absence with your child’s school, as this document demonstrates that it is an approved careers activity endorsed by the Department for Work & Pensions.

We would recommend sensible shoes and comfortable clothing and it is always a good idea to bring some waterproof clothing as well just in case! Protective clothing (PPE) will be provided by the construction company hosting the site tour if required – you will know if the visit involves PPE as you will be asked to provide sizes at the time of booking (these can be provided later if necessary).

You will get the opportunity to see the project, office, or factory, meet the people who work in the industry and hear about their route into the industry.  Many sites will require visitors to wear protective clothing (PPE), which will be provided if necessary.  Some events will also offer interactive experiences e.g. virtual reality, simulators or work tasters.  Individual events will provide information on what will be on offer on their event profiles, but you can contact them directly through their profile if you would like additional details.

If you have any specific requests or interests please email the event host directly and they may be able to tailor the content for you.

This will vary and estimated durations can be found on each event’s profile.

Yes absolutely! Just remember you will need to book each event individually and provide all the requested details separately (e.g. shoe sizes, if required), as the locations will likely be hosted by different companies.

Whilst we encourage groups of all sizes, some sites may be operating under restrictions that mean they are not able to host larger groups. Please check the individual event profile for further details and remember that the earlier you book, the easier it will be to accommodate you!

We are happy for international visitors to attend.  However, please note that Open Doors’ main aim is to encourage new recruits into the British construction industry, and so places may be prioritised for resident visitors where demand exceeds supply.  Please note that Open Doors cannot advise on or assist with work visa applications.

We actively encourage all events to host children where possible.  Details on whether children can attend, and any applicable age restrictions, will be available on each event profile, as this will differ between events. Please note if an event does allow children to visit, all vulnerable individuals including under 18s must be accompanied by a responsible adult. If under 18, they must also have parental or legal guardian consent.

No, we’re afraid not. You will have to stay with the chaperone you are allocated at all times.

Details on booking for Open Doors 2026 will be shared shortly.

A group visit to an Open Doors event will allow you all to see what goes on behind the scenes and learn about the fantastic range of careers available in construction.  We encourage visitors to bring their friends and families along.

When visitor bookings open, once you have found your event through the interactive map, you will be given the option to book on that event’s profile if spaces are available.  You will then be prompted to specify the number of spaces needed, and your age and contact details.  Additional details e.g. attendee names, PPE sizes etc. can be added at the time of booking or later on if necessary.  If you don’t already have a website account you will be asked to set one up, which will allow you to log back in later and update your booking’s information.

Whilst we aim to be able to host all disabled visitors, this will depend on the event in question. Each event will clearly outline its accessibility and you can contact the event hosts directly through their profiles if you need further information or provisions.

Each site taking part in Open Doors has taken all steps to make sure your site visit will be safe and enjoyable. To ensure your own safety you should follow any guidance given on site.  All events can provide a Risk Assessment in advance of your visit if required.

No.  The need for personal protective equipment (PPE) is determined by the Risk Assessment and will largely depend on whether you are visiting a live construction site, and where you will be viewing the site from e.g. visits hosted from viewing platforms may not need PPE.  You will know if your visit involves PPE as you will be asked to confirm sizes at the time of booking (these can be provided later if necessary).

The construction industry can offer people from all different ages and backgrounds an exciting career. There is so much more to construction than just building, from design and engineering through project planning to the archaeological digs that take place. To find out more about the wide variety of construction careers, the qualifications you need and case studies on what it is really like, please visit the careers website Go Construct.

Our Careers page features lots of useful information on construction industry roles and how to get into them.

For general questions relating to Open Doors please email our team via info@opendoors.construction.  For information on attending specific events please make direct contact through each event’s profile.