INTERVIEW
MERCHANT YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES NEED
M
erchanting is changing and careers in the industry need to be seen as providing varied and viable career options for young
people to support the next generation of tradespeople. Until recently, it has been clear from attending industry events that there is a lack of young people involved in merchanting. “In the nine years I’ve been in the industry,” Lauren Penney says, “things have improved but there’s still a long way to go. We know that our industry is challenging, rewarding, and it takes all sorts of people with lots of different skills to make things run well.” Penney, who is 26, is the recent recipient of the BMF Young Achiever of the Year 2023 Award. Among her achievements at Chandler Material Supplies was her transformation of the company’s website to an e-commerce platform which now takes sales well into six figures. She understands that the merchanting industry could stand to benefit greatly by recognising the potential young people hold and actively working to make the industry a welcoming and enticing career option. “Part of the problem is that people outside the industry have a completely different idea to those inside; there’s a stereotype that young people join the industry because they’ve failed their exams or don’t have what it takes to go into another, more highly thought of, profession. People tend to think that people become merchants because they can’t do anything else, but the truth is that you can do almost anything in the merchanting sector.”
Potential and people
“When I was 17, I started by helping out behind the counter on Saturdays which is a great place for people who are extroverted and enjoy chatting to customers. But there are also roles like accounting for people whose skills are more mathematical, or marketing for creative types. There are so many different roles – and different types of roles – that there’s something for anyone.
“Starting behind the counter was a great way for me to get into work and it didn’t take
20 HIGHLIGHTING
BMJ spoke to one of NBG’s Partners, Lauren Penney of Chandler Material Supplies about how the industry can highlight the diversity of careers available to the next generation of merchants.
long before I was full-time. I didn’t know what I wanted to do for a career but it’s through my exposure to merchanting that I’ve been able to explore the possibilities and find a line of work within the sector that’s right for me. It’s not just the work itself but the people that make this role so satisfying. Chandler’s joined NBG 12 years ago and being supported by like- minded people who I can learn from makes a world of difference.
“With events like the NBG conference, I like to come with three or four questions and find people who I can speak to and get answers. One of the great things about NBG is that the people there are always happy to help their peers.”
Award winning success The BMF Young Achiever was launched in 2013 to celebrate the work, commitment and innovation of people in merchanting who are under the age of 35. “Awards like this are a great way to raise the profile of young people in merchanting,” Penney says. “There’s a lot of potential out there to show established merchants that young people are capable of moving merchanting forward. Whether that’s taking up the traditional merchant roles that have been in place for over a hundred years, or taking advantage of the opportunities the internet provides, young people should be given serious consideration for these roles.” Penney credits her generation’s extensive experience online with preparing her for the e-commerce work that won her the BMF Young Achiever Award. “We’ve essentially grown up on the internet. Because it’s
THIS IS YOUR LIFE SO FAR...
been such a significant part of our lives, our education, our communication, we tend to take to online resources quickly. Digital merchanting saw a big upswing during Covid and, now that customers have access to online options, it won’t be long before every merchant will be expected to have fully functioning e-commerce options, which is why we all have a vested interest in bringing more young people into the industry. Growth in online merchanting is likely to come from the induction of young people to the sector joined to the vision of merchant MDs.”
What can the industry do? “Builders merchants, especially the bigger ones, have a responsibility to open up communication with schools and make sure that teachers and parents understand how important and rewarding merchanting can be. At careers events, I’ve seen parents guide their kids away from merchant’s stalls as they don’t have a good opinion of builders merchants. By working with schools, we can start to change that. “We need to highlight the diversity of career opportunities within the industry and make sure to look for the right people, regardless of age. It’s people who are keen, motivated to develop skills and willing to learn that will take merchants from strength to strength. I’ve been working with the team at the BMF on a sector awareness campaign, as diversity in the industry is something that has been talked about for a long time and it’s exciting to be able to do something to move things in the right direction.”
January 2024
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