The Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) has launched a Youth Recruitment Campaign aimed at 16-19 year olds.
The Campaign is designed to make teachers, career advisors and job centres aware of the many rewarding, diverse and challenging career opportunities offered by builders, timber and plumbing and heating merchants and their suppliers, and to encourage them to actively promote merchanting as a career choice.
In the coming weeks posters and brochures will be sent out to 750 job centres and over 7,500 schools, colleges and academies to coincide with the start of the new school year. Further information will be available on a dedicated website, Facebook page and Twitter feed, with promotions to encourage students to find out more.
Students are also being invited to attend the Campaign’s first Recruitment Open Day at the BMF’s HQ in Coventry on October 21, where they will have the opportunity to talk to merchants, suppliers, trainers as well as past apprentices to find out how their careers are progressing. The Campaign uses a number of young ambassadors who joined their companies as apprentices and just a few years later are managing their own teams. Their stories will help the BMF spread a positive image of the industry to schools and colleges across the country.
John Newcomb, managing director of the BMF, said: “This is one of the most exciting and important initiatives that the BMF has ever launched as young, talented people are absolutely vital if our Industry is going to thrive and develop in the future.
“Ours is an industry that traditionally many have joined straight from school, but in recent years it has been overshadowed by more ‘glamorous’ sectors such as IT, media and retail. The Campaign will promote the tremendous opportunities available to young people and to let them know just how interesting and rewarding a career in our sector can be.”
Mr Newcomb added: “We are looking to ensure that careers advisors appreciate the diversity of roles merchanting offers, and understand that our apprenticeship scheme provides a sound foundation which can be followed by progressive vocational training including a diploma, a foundation degree, and now a post graduate diploma leading to a masters degree.”
The BMF is encouraging its members to get involved with the Campaign and promote opportunities for young recruits in their companies, with marketing material available for them to do so. BMF members are also invited to take part in the Recruitment Open Days. For more information, email Peter.Matthews@bmf.org.uk
