Building Plymouth Open Sites Week 2026: A week of discovery, skills and real world insight
Building Plymouth’s Open Sites Week 2026 was packed with hands on learning, behind the scenes access and inspiring encounters across the construction industry. School students, university learners and participants from the Connect to Work programme all took part, experiencing first-hand the scale and variety of careers available in the built environment.
The week opened on Monday with an exclusive visit to the Derriford Hospital development, where Willmott Dixon and University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust welcomed a group of Year 9 students from Tor Bridge High. Students stood on Level 2 of the new A&E building to watch live construction in action, explored the detailed 3D digital model behind the project, and spoke with the team about their roles and career paths.
Later in the day, St Boniface’s Catholic College students visited the Cormac Notter Bridge Training Centre, taking part in practical activities including bricklaying and traffic management while learning about the apprenticeships and training routes available.
Tuesday began with a rare opportunity to step inside the Tamar Bridge with Tamar Crossings, giving engineering students from Tor Bridge High the chance to explore its inner workings and learn the story behind this iconic structure. This was followed by a visit to the Mountbatten Watersports Centre, where Classic Builders showed how new facilities are being constructed alongside important heritage features, offering real insight for students from Brook Green Centre for Learning.
The day continued with two city-centre tours from Morgan Sindall Construction and Infrastructure, who welcomed students from St Boniface’s Catholic College and participants from the Connect to Work programme. Attendees learned about the major developments reshaping Plymouth and gained a fascinating first look at the Civic Centre’s unique architectural details.
Wednesday started at Barne Barton, where Gilpin Demolition gave learners from Transferable Skills Training a closer look at demolition as a highly skilled, technical profession. From planning to precision work, the visit challenged assumptions about what construction involves. This was followed by a joint construction and health session at BAM UK & Ireland’s Clinical Diagnostic Centre, attended by students from Stoke Damerel Community College and Scott Medical and Healthcare College. They explored the complexities of building specialist clinical environments, including installing advanced medical equipment.
The day concluded with two engaging visits hosted by Devon Contractors. University of Plymouth civil engineering students toured a major project and tried bricklaying with support from The Plym Group, while St Boniface’s Catholic College students viewed drone footage showing the site’s progress and learned about the roles involved in delivering it.
On Thursday, consultancy and technical careers took centre stage as AECOM hosted an interactive civil engineering session for St Boniface’s Catholic College. Students learned how engineering shapes real projects before taking on a hands on wind turbine design challenge that encouraged creativity and problem solving.
The week wrapped up on Friday with a project management and quantity surveying workshop delivered by Ward Williams for students from Stoke Damerel Community College and Scott Medical and Healthcare College. Students worked in teams to plan a new school build on a fixed budget before presenting their proposals to a panel of industry “dragons”.
Later, Marine Academy Primary explored Sherford, touring an unwrapped home and enjoying a look at the award winning landscaping delivered by YGS Landscapes. The final event brought Devonport High School for Boys together with Stride Treglown for an inspiring architecture session, showing how design, creativity and technical thinking shape every project.
From demolition and digital modelling to engineering, landscaping, architecture and project management, Open Sites Week 2026 showcased the true breadth of opportunities within the construction sector. Attendees of all ages and backgrounds left with fresh inspiration, new experiences and a clearer picture of the many exciting pathways available here in Plymouth.
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