A week-long campaign to attract more people into careers in construction will see 14 top Scottish construction sites pull back their hoardings to welcome in members of the public.

Open Doors 2017 – which is delivered by Build UK in partnership with CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) – will take place throughout Scotland between Monday 27th March and Saturday 1st April.

Michael Lennox, partnership manager, CITB Scotland, said: “Open Doors 2017 isn’t just about encouraging people to consider a career in construction. It also aims to raise awareness of the importance of the construction industry within Scotland’s jobs market, economy and wider society. It will do so by showing people exactly what it takes to create the iconic buildings of the future, demonstrating just how rewarding a career in the industry can be.”

The 14 venues include new builds as well as established icons, such as fire damage renovations to the world-famous Mackintosh-designed Glasgow School of Art, major bi-phase refurbishment work to the category A-listed Edinburgh College of Art built in 1906-09, and the construction of V&A Museum of Design in Dundee, which will be an international centre of design for Scotland and the first ever design museum to be built in the UK outside London.

Once on site, visitors will gain exclusive access to various aspects of the construction work being carried out, along with tours and presentations. They will also be encouraged to find out more about potential careers in construction at the industry’s careers website – Go Construct.

Suzannah Nichol, Build UK chief executive, said: “If you’re looking for a career which is diverse and challenging, you should look no further than construction. My journey to becoming an engineer and now working on behalf of industry started from a site visit, and Open Doors enables you to take a closer look at some of the UK’s most exciting projects, and experience for yourself what makes construction such a fantastic place to work.”

The event is also supported by the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) and Considerate Contractors Scheme (CCS).

Places for each of the venues are limited and visitors must book in advance. For further information, visit www.opendoors.construction.