More than 1,500 school pupils will be given a hands-on introduction to vital trades next week as one of the largest ever skills events takes place in Lincolnshire.

Now in its 21st year, Construction & Engineering Week 2025 will run from Tuesday 23 to Thursday 25 September at the Lincolnshire Showground. The event will showcase a wide range of careers in construction and engineering, with 50 companies from across Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and the Humber delivering practical, interactive activities.

As one of the event support sponsors, Lindum is preparing to welcome hundreds of children to its stand, where they can take part in a mini digger challenge, giant Jenga and a PPE race.

The activities are designed to give young people a fun, practical taste of construction while testing their hand-eye coordination and highlighting the teamwork, problem-solving and variety that the industry offers.

Across the wider event, children aged between 10 and 18 will get the chance to try their hand at carpentry, bricklaying, block paving, electrical and mechanical engineering, and welding using virtual reality simulators. They will also have the opportunity to operate diggers and other large equipment commonly used on construction and engineering sites.

The event is free for schools to attend and is sponsored by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB). It is organised by the Lincoln Group Training Association (LGTA) and Abbey Access Training, working closely with local employers.

As one of the event support sponsors, Lindum is delighted to help bring this important opportunity to young people. By giving students a realistic insight into the industry, the week helps to inspire the next generation of builders, engineers, and construction professionals.

Lindum’s Apprentice Manager, John Levey, who has organised Lindum’s activities for the event, said: “We’re really excited to welcome so many young people to our stand and give them a fun, hands-on introduction to construction. This year we’ll be running a mini digger challenge, giant Jenga and a PPE race – all designed to show that while construction is a serious and rewarding career, it’s also an industry full of variety, teamwork and problem-solving. We hope it sparks an interest that could grow into a future career.”

Event organiser Steve Taylor, Group Training Officer at LGTA, added: “This inclusive hands-on event aims to ignite passion in the next generation by delivering immersive and impactful construction and engineering experiences. We connect young people with real roles in industry to inspire and shape the workforce of tomorrow.”

Both industry training boards have highlighted the importance of inspiring new entrants into the sector. The ECITB has forecast that 40,000 additional workers will be needed by 2030 for major infrastructure and net zero projects, while the CITB’s Construction Workforce Outlook found the construction industry needs nearly 48,000 extra workers every year to meet demand.

Tim Balcon, CEO of CITB, said: “In a time when construction skills are in high demand, it is more important than ever to support events like Construction and Engineering Week. The event gives employers an opportunity to engage with their local community and help inspire the next generation by providing access to transformative, real-world experiences.”

Lindum will be joining other local businesses at the Showground to showcase the rewarding career paths that the industry offers.