West Midlands Mayor backs BMF young merchant plans

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, has praised the commitment of the Builders Merchants Federation for encouraging more young people to enter the building materials industry.

During a visit to the BMF headquarters, the Mayor met with apprentices and discussed the career prospects for young people in the sector.

The BMF claims that, despite Brexit, their members expect robust sales to continue and that this makes the building materials industry an ideal place for young people to build a career.

Street congratulated the BMF for establishing their own Apprenticeships Training Agency, which works to increase the number of school and college leavers considering a career in merchanting. He said: “I’m delighted by the work the BMF is doing to attract young people in the West Midlands and elsewhere in the country to take up apprenticeships in the building materials industry. As a region we have ambitious plans to grow, so we’ll need our materials supply chain to be performing at its best. This presents great opportunities for young people to start a career in an exciting and growing industry”.

John Newcomb, Chief Executive of the BMF,  welcomed the Mayor’s support for the industry. “Merchants are delivering the building blocks for growth in all parts of the UK.  We’re delighted by the Mayor’s vision for boosting the economic development of the West Midlands region, and this presents many new employment opportunities within the builders merchants industry,” he said.

 “Our members are committed to supporting the training and development of staff, and the BMF is partnered with universities in Birmingham and Coventry to further develop young merchants’ skills and to make the most of the technological changes that will shape our industry over the coming years.”

The visit from the Mayor also marked the 5^th anniversary of the BMF relocating from London to Coventry.