Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
The Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) has launched a new careers website to promote the wide range of employment opportunities offered by merchants and building materials suppliers.
Timed to coincide with the release of A-Level and GCSE results this month, the Builders Merchants Careers website –www.merchant-recruitment.co.uk – is aimed at school and college leavers, their parents and the school careers advisers and Jobcentres who support them as they consider career options.
The website features eight video profiles of young merchant and supplier employees from MKM Building Supplies, Keith Builders Merchants, Gibbs & Dandy, Ridgeons, LBS, Parker Building Supplies, Catnic and Buttle’s.
Steven Rennie (KBM) and Magda Dexter (Gibbs & Dandy) who won the BMF/BMJ Young Merchant Achiever of the Year award in 2013 and 2014 respectively, both appear on the promotional website.
The website offers a route map to help youngsters understand how they can get into the sector. Once they have decided what suits them best, they can browse for and apply online for jobs in a Live Jobs section which links young people directly with employers. To ensure that current jobs are consistently available, the BMF is encouraging all members to get on board with the initiative and make sure they list suitable job roles on the site.
It is the latest BMF initiative is aimed at making young people more aware of the diversity of roles in the merchanting sector, together with the industry’s formal vocational training programmes.
Commenting on the launch, Anne Pavey, senior employer relationship manager, Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said: “Promoting apprenticeships and encouraging young people to explore careers that they may not have thought about is really important.
“The Builders Merchants Careers website provides a mixture of inspiring videos from young people already in the sector, guidance on what path is best for each individual and direct links to employers and job vacancies – it’s a great example of how a specific sector can offer hands on support to get school leavers and young people on the career ladder.”
BMF MD, John Newcomb added: “We believe this campaign, the biggest initiative of its kind ever undertaken by the BMF, will be the driving force behind attracting more young people into the sector and helping builders merchants and suppliers to continue to invest in the next generation.
“With opportunities across disciplines, from fork lift drivers and customer service to HR and design services, from first job roles all the way to the board room, there really are great opportunities to meet young peoples’ aspirations at every level.”
he Builders Merchants Careers website is part of a wider campaign on merchant recruitment led by the BMF. This will see BMF member representatives attending careers fairs and Jobcentres and disseminating information to schools and other careers service providers.
The BMF is also promoting school visits and presentations by local industry ambassadors, something that was specifically requested by teachers and careers advisors attending the BMF Youth Recruitment Open Forum, which provided valuable insights to help shape this campaign.
