Local residents and several college groups attended site visits at Ely Southern Bypass, Meridian Water Station, Essoldo House and joint venture BMV (BAM Nuttall, Morgan Sindall, VolkerFitzpatrick) project, M5 Oldbury Viaduct.

Each site gave a presentation, providing visitors with an insider’s look at their project, prompting discussions around career opportunities within the industry.

After putting on their PPE (personal protective equipment), each group then headed out for a guided tour of their chosen site. As well as getting a close-up look at the live works, this gave visitors an opportunity to ask questions and learn about the different roles required on each project.

Several college students stayed behind after their tours, to discuss the different career paths available to them and potential routes into the industry. They were also provided with a ‘takeaway’ sheet with helpful links to industry career websites as well as VolkerWessels UK’s own careers portal.

One student described the event as “very informative”, adding that the experience gave them “a better understanding of the careers and opportunities available”.

Open Doors is delivered by Build UK in partnership with CITB, and provides young people with behind the scenes access to some of the most prestigious construction projects across the UK.

To find out more about Open Doors, visit: www.opendoors.construction.