Ffasiwn Bildar star Gavin Orson has encouraged young people across Wales to consider a construction career by taking part in Open Doors 2016.
Open Doors, which runs from Monday June 13th to Saturday June 18th, is a joint initiative between the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and Build UK.
Welsh construction sites taking part in Open Doors include:
Gavin, 27, was crowned the Model Builder in the recent S4C series which aimed to transform the image of Welsh construction workers.
During Ffasiwn Bildar Gavin took part in a variety of tasks including bricklaying, plastering and carpentry, winning a cash prize of £3,500 and the opportunity to model for the Dickies 2016 catalogue.
Commenting on the Open Doors campaign Gavin said: “Open Doors is a great opportunity for people interested in following a construction career.
“Site visits are a very good route into the industry. I used to visit sites when I was 13, during the summer holidays. It gave me a taste of what construction work is like.”
Gavin, who recently started his own plumbing business, added: “Construction is an excellent career choice because if you have a trade behind you you’re sorted for life. It’s a safe career bet as there’ll always be a need for building work. I’ve been busy throughout my career and the opportunities in Wales are picking up.”
More workers are urgently needed in the industry, as CITB predicts over 230,000 new construction jobs will be created in the UK over the next five years.
Figures from the Construction Skills Network 2016-2020 estimate that over 27,000 construction jobs will be created in Wales during the next five years.
Meanwhile the predicted growth rate in Welsh construction output for the same period, 7.1%, is almost triple the UK average (2.5%).
Suzannah Nichol, Build UK Chief Executive, said: “I joined the industry after a visit to a local construction site. Hopefully Open Doors can get even more young people and others looking for something new to get involved in to pursue one of the many construction careers we have to offer.
“Construction is a great place to be and the buzz onsite is infectious. We can’t wait for Open Doors visitors to feel that same buzz and see what the industry is all about.”
Mark Bodger, Strategic Partnership Director of CITB Cymru Wales, said: “Open Doors is an excellent way of inspiring more people to consider a career in construction. It is a great opportunity to showcase how rewarding a career in the sector can be.
“Anyone interested in pursuing a career in construction should visit the industry website – Go Construct.”
To sign up for an Open Doors event visit opendoors.construction.
Twitter: @OpenDoorsUK #opendoors16
