Many thanks to Sunbelt Rentals for hosting a group of year 10 students on 24th March 2026 at their Chadderton Service Centre.

As part of the Open Doors – Get into Construction initiative, students went behind the scenes to explore careers available in the wider UK construction industry.

Students learnt about the company and saw at first-hand the equipment and the type of work Sunbelt Rentals do in hiring it out and maintaining it. They also got to meet site staff, including a current apprentice, who discussed the different roles and entry routes that are available – from hire controller to engineer!

An interactive group activity, based around planning the equipment and support services required to host a large-scale music festival, allowed students to demonstrate key employability skills – teamwork, communication, problem-solving.

The visit was rounded off with a demonstration of the equipment and a chance to operate a dumper truck and fork-lift.

Did you know Construction and the Green Economy is one of the key growth sectors in Greater Manchester? Find out more: Construction and the Green Economy | GMACS

There is so much more to the construction industry than just building – from design and engineering through to project planning and the archaeological digs that take place – visit the careers website Go Construct to find out more about the wide variety of roles, the qualifications you need, and case studies on what it’s really like. 

This video tells you all about the 180+ different construction roles available.