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BMF apprenticeship pledge targets 15,000 New Apprentices


In a bid to take control of the skills gap in the building materials industry and to drive the utilisation of Levy Funds across the building materials sector, the BMF has launched the BMF Apprenticeship Pledge to achieve 15,000 apprentices across the membership by 2030.


The pledge both highlights the BMF’s commitment to apprenticeships and promotes them as an excellent way to train new recruits to the industry, and as an alternative pathway to support the development of more experienced staff looking to gain new skills or to move into a different role. The BMF is inviting members to join them in making the Pledge. By doing so, they will commit to increasing their own use of apprenticeships, and agree to report their progress on a six- monthly basis, providing details of the number of apprentices currently in the business, and plans for future apprenticeships. This will also help educate the wider industry the importance of apprenticeships as a key route for developing new talent and upskilling existing colleagues. Fourteen members have already committed to the imitative with


over 11,000 new apprenticeships pledged. The companies are: • ACO Technologies • BPS- Building & Plumbing Supplies


• Bradfords Building Supplies Browns Builders Merchants • ETupling • Henshaws Roofing & Building Supplies


• IBMG - Independant Builders Merchants


• Kerridge Commercial Systems • Lords Training Supplies • MKM Building Suplies • Merritt & Fryers • NMBS - National Merchant Buying Group


• Travis Perkins


John Newcomb, BMF CEO said: “We are committed to professionalising our industry and believe that everyone should have the opportunity to reach their full potential. Many people still think of apprentices as young people entering the jobs market - but that is far from the case. Of course, apprenticeships ar one of he best ways to develop new recruits but they are also an excellent way to motivate, upskill and retain existing staff as they move through different stages of their careers.


The BMF Meets Welsh Leaders


How to improve the economic performance and future potential of Wales’ three largest cities was the topic up for discussion last month in Cardiff among local authority and business leaders.


The BMF took part in a regional development conference hosted by the Centre for Cities think-tank in Cardiff City Hall - at which the leaders of Swansea Council (Cllr Rob Stewart), Newport Council (Cllr


Jane Mudd) and Cardiff Council (Cllr Huw Thomas) were the main speakers. Participants


discussed efforts to boost productivity and revive each urban economy and the significance the three cities have on


Wales as a whole. Collectively, they account for 7% of the nations’ land area but (at least) one-third of the population. But success in these cities comes at a


August 2023 www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net


cost to the surrounding towns & villages because South-East Wales is where businesses and foreign direct investment wants to go. All three cities want to build more council housing.


We spoke to Cllr Rob Stewart who expressed a wish to build new homes in Swansea to the Passivhaus standard which applies higher, more exacting thermal & energy performance criteria in their design and construction. We hope to meet these local authority leaders again at their Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.


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Please check the BMF website at www.bmf.org.uk for all the latest news and events updates in this ever-changing environment.


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“By making this pledge with our members, we will be sharing resources and learning, and holding each other to account to support our growing industry.”


Accountability is an important element of this imitative and the fact that members committing to the pledge will share details of their progress every six months will help create accurate statistics for apprenticeships in building material supply.


Kerry Wilson, BMF Learning & Development Manager, says: “The role in building materials supply are very different from other in the construction industry and our apprenticeships are not included in the figures for construction. The commonly utilise trade supplier apprenticeships, for example, falls under the sales category, with team leader sitting under retail and hospitality, Over the next 7 years we have a fantastic opportunity to build a reliable and statistical overview of the apprenticeship take up in our industry.”


To find out more about the BMF apprenticeship Pledge, please contact your BMF Regional Manager or email Kerry Wilson at kerry.wilson@bmf.org.uk.


Competition Law: Internet pricing


Whitehall has incorporated EU competition law into UK legislation that allows for dual


pricing of products by suppliers between goods sold online and goods sold in branch. This came into force on 1 June 2022 and is called the Competition Act 1998 (Vertical Agreements Block Exemption) Order. The transition period to help you to prepare your business ended on 31 May 2023. At first glance, VABEO appears to assist bricks-and-mortar retailers who are concerned at bias towards online sellers. But while this allows manufacturers & suppliers to sell to online retailers at higher prices, they have to justify their pricing. Distributors and retailers who believe they are at a disadvantage due to pricing set by or suppliers can now complain to the Competition & Markets Authority. • The Order is here: https:// www.legislation.gov.uk/ uksi/2022/516/contents/made • CMA official guidance is here: https://www.gov.uk/ government/publications/


The BMF welcome the following new members:


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