Construction employers: Register for Open Doors 2026

Showcase careers in the NI construction industry

Construction businesses across Northern Ireland can host free site visits during Open Doors week (23 to 28 March 2026) to inspire students, career changers and jobseekers.

The Open Doors initiative helps address skills shortages by showing the range of modern roles in construction - from engineering and project management to digital design, sustainability and trades.

Last year’s Open Doors took a record number of visitors behind the scenes of construction sites and workplaces across the UK. In Northern Ireland alone, more than 500 visitors attended over 35 events across 18 locations, with 15 companies opening their doors. UK-wide, the initiative welcomed more than 7,000 visitors to over 260 events, with around 88% of visitors saying they were more likely to consider a construction career after their visit.

How to get involved

Construction businesses of all sizes can register to host Open Doors events. You can host pre-booked events across all types of construction sites, including offices, manufacturing facilities, builders' merchants and training centres.

Visitor bookings will open from 12 January 2026, so employers looking to get involved should register their events as soon as possible. Information and support are available for those looking to host events for the first time.

With the latest Construction Industry Training Board Construction Workforce Outlook estimating that the UK industry needs to recruit around 50,000 additional workers each year - including over 5,000 in Northern Ireland by 2029 - Open Doors offers a great opportunity to showcase the variety of roles, technologies and career pathways available in construction.

The Open Doors initiative is delivered by Build UK in partnership with Construction Futures, and with support from the Department for the Economy.

First published 18 December 2025