For many years now one of the biggest issues facing our sector has been the recruitment and retention of staff, be that in merchants or supplier businesses. Whilst many people out there in the wider world have some understanding of the various roles available in the house building and construction sectors, it seems there is virtually no real knowledge of the range of roles available in the sector that provides the materials to support construction.

The BMF is looking to change this with the recent Member Briefing on a highly significant long-term programme of activity that seeks to raise the profile of our sector whilst also providing a platform for aiding recruitment and staff retention.

The stunning premises of JCB in Rocester was the venue for this initial briefing, with a full member launch set for the BMF’s Annual Conference & Awards event in September. On the day, members were updated on how we are looking to raise the profile of the sector and shed light on the wide range of job and career opportunities that our sector can offer.

BMF Chair, Richard Hill said this when he opened the Briefing Session:
“We work in a fantastic sector that offers excellent opportunities to the talented people working here. However, when it comes to attracting new talent we are competing with many other sectors. It is time that we championed the Building Materials sector to the rest of the construction industry and the public at large.
“By initiating this campaign, and investing in the future of Building Materials, the BMF Board seeks to help and support our members in attracting the best recruits possible and ensure that our sector continues to develop and grow long into the future.”

The programme will run under the strapline ‘Materially Different’ with clear messaging to encourage people to join the sector and ‘Make A Material Difference’. There are multiple target audiences to address as the programme will target school/college leavers, job changers of all ages and of course all of the other people who influence them (parents, careers advisors etc).

The key elements of the programme will be a new Careers Information website with full details of what the sector is and what it does, the many job roles it supports, how to find out more about the opportunities and BMF member pages with additional company and job role/career information.

BMF members are critical to the success of this programme as the national effort through the BMF – which will involve advertising, social media, literature, PR and much more- will only be fully successful if BMF members throw their weight behind it as well.

Initially, all members are asked to determine who in their business will be the key contact for all aspects of the Sector Awareness Programme. This person (or persons) will coordinate activity in their own business, will be able to access the new website to update their Employer Profile pages and will be kept fully in touch with the plans as they roll out from the BMF.

The second priority for all members is to supply information to initially populate their Employer Profile page on the new website. This will be the information that is on the new website (bmcareers.com) when it goes live in August and members will then have access to update it themselves as and when they need to.
The third priority is for all BMF members to take a look at the multitude of support assets that are being provided via the Members Toolkit. The ‘Toolkit’ contains everything that members will need to personalise the material for use in their own local marketing and recruitment processes.

Other notable announcements included the set up of a series of monthly webinars for members to find out more about the programme as we move towards the member launch in September and a request for video ‘selfies’ and up-to-date member news to help populate the various website pages.

BMF CEO John Newcomb reiterated the importance of the support from BMF members when he said:
“By working together, we can shape and strengthen the future of our industry. This is a long-term programme that will make our industry an employment destination rather than an afterthought. It is aimed at career starters and career switchers, as well those already working in the sector. If we are to attract, retain and grow talent we must build pride in our sector.

“We have had incredible input from those on the working team to get to this stage, but it’s time for every member to get on board to make this happen. The BMF Team is here to support members make the most of the programme, but we need members’ help if we are to drive recruitment in our industry and compete harder for talent.”
The programme has been carefully researched and shaped over a period of some 16 months by a member-led working group of marketing and HR professionals guided by Dianne Lucas from the BMF’s Strategic Agency, CMDi who emphasised that this is very much a long-term investment:
“This not just a campaign, this is a fully integrated programme, designed to define, shape and launch Building Materials as a nationally recognised sector. We’ve approached this as the building of ‘brand Building Materials’, a £45bn brand, vital to construction and the UK economy, a brand that is ‘Materially Different’.
“We’re changing perceptions and myth busting current negative perceptions, providing 6 powerful reasons to enter the sector and making it accessible to all by creating one easy pathway in.”

Next steps for the programme include the monthly member webinars and then the initial launch of the new bmcareers.com website in August ahead of a full member launch at the BMF’s Annual Conference & Awards event on 19th September. The final stage of the full public rollout of the programme is still being planned but it is likely be in the early part of 2025 with a series of high-profile Open Days and a big national and locally-driven publicity drive expected.

KEY INFORMATION:
Advise BMF (Jeremy.harris@bmf.org.uk) of your Designated Campaign Owner

Complete the details for your Employer Profile page:

Download the member Toolkit:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1hqnQ6lIlyek1NhTCkRKWh2VtUeEJc000

Sector Awareness Webinar Programme dates (register via BMF Website/Events page):
Wed 26th June 3pm
Wed 31st July 3pm
Wed 21 Aug 3pm

To learn more about apprentice recruitment contact Marianna.peet@bmf.org.uk

Come along to the member launch at the BMF Conference & Awards on 19th September