Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
The quartet of students taking the first ever BMF Foundation Degree have set the bar high, with all four graduating with Distinction.
Nick Cox of Palladium, Andrew Davies of Kellaway Building Supplies, David Kidd of Simpson and Allinson and Glenn Paddison of MKM Building Supplies, received their degrees at the University of the West of England Awards ceremony held at Bristol Cathedral on 17th July.
Glenn Paddison, who was highly commended at last year’s BMJ/BMF Young Merchant Achiever of the Year awards, also received the University’s Lesley Moore Prize for Work Based Learning, which recognises a significant development in higher skills and knowledge.
Congratulating them on their success, BMF MD John Newcomb said: “A clean sweep of Distinctions is an incredible achievement. I am proud that the BMF could give these students the opportunity to study at this level and proud that they really grasped it. Nick, Andrew, David and Glen have set the bar as high as it will go. This is a truly momentous occasion for the industry and I hope many others will follow their example.”
The BMF/University of the West of England Foundation Degree in Integrated Professional Development (Merchanting) was introduced in 2012 to offer an industry-specific academic qualification following on from the BMF Diploma in Merchanting. T
he Foundation Degree encourages the student to distil the theoretical learning of the Diploma into practical application, which also results in a valuable piece of business consultancy for his or her employer.
John Newcomb added: “With over 100 people now enrolled on the Diploma course, the outstanding achievement of the pioneering Foundation Degree graduates really gives those following them something to aspire to.”
