BMF Ambassador of the Year
By
Adam Dolman

On the 15th of September, I joined Nat and Lizzy at the BMF Member’s Annual Conference. It was great to join other members to highlight all the good things that have happened in the industry. It was a jam-packed two days that finished with a fantastic black-tie awards ceremony. Where Natalie, very unexpectedly, won an award.

Now that we’ve been able to collect our thoughts, I wanted to talk about our partnership with the BMF.

What we do as BMF Members and Ambassadors

Firstly, why did we join? Well, we joined as we’re always looking for ways to give back to the sectors we recruit in. The BMF provides us with a fantastic opportunity to do this, as they’re the hub of builders merchants and supplier activity in the UK.  So, for us, it provides a network to connect job seekers with great employers.

Our Building Products recruiter, Nat, is at the forefront of our work with the BMF, as one of the 60+ ambassadors that champion everything the industry has to offer. Nat works with clients and candidates throughout the UK to support their journey into the sector, she also goes beyond this to help new talent access all that this industry has to offer. 

Celebrating Everything The Building Materials Industry Has.

Nat also took to the spotlight in the event, as she won an award for Ambassador of the Year. This was a huge moment for Nat, one that she truly didn’t expect, however it was a special moment to be recognised for the work that she’s doing in the market. Most recently, she has:

  1. Presented at conferences, talking about Recruitment and Selection in this market
  2. Advocated apprenticeship programmes. 
  3. Shared candidate stories about their journey into the building materials sector

The event was brilliant. We got to see a host of merchants and suppliers come together to celebrate everything this sector has to offer. With awards like Young Merchant Achiever, Training Company of the Year and more, recognising people within the industry is a great motivation for everyone involved.

Our work with the BMF is all on top of the day-to-day job: of recruitment. Where we focus on supporting the industry by working on a range of roles. Nat covers roles like internal/external sales, sales management, specification sales, key account management and more. I work on similar roles to Nat, however, also cover showroom & counter sales and have expertise in kitchen and bathroom sales. Lizzy, who joined us from the industry, typically recruits for entry-level positions in similar fields to Nat.

Nat shared her thoughts on the event and wanted to speak a little about what this award means to her:

Natalie Chapman

You could have knocked me down with a feather when my name was called out. 

Last year was the first time I had attended a BMF event, I loved every second and I came away wanting to get more involved and to be a part of the solution. I said to Adam in 5 years I want to win the award for Ambassador of the year. 

My intention in my first year was to understand more about the BMF and the role they play. I took several initiatives from the members’ day that I know I could action straight away. 

These were:

  • A  video for Bradfords about the effect on women in the industry going through menopause. Which was used to train the entire management team in the business. 
  • A great recruitment partnership with the BMF, engaging with the local candidate market place resulting in multiple placements
  • Recruiting and selection training with BMF trainers to roll out to members
  • Presenting at Regional meetings around the changes in the recruitment market and how to attract candidates for free
  • Social media posts to our network about how to attract people to the industry and how to transfer skills into our industry. 

The more I get involved, the more I want to involve myself. 

I know recruitment gets a bad name and people assume it’s all about the fee and making money but for me, it’s about being involved. It’s about helping the sector to grow and thrive. 

I am truly grateful to gain this award but more so for the recognition. 

Where do we go from here?

Going the extra mile, are words Nat embodies in the workplace. From picking up her award to breaking her personal record for the most candidates placed and interviewed throughout August, she’s on a roll to continue helping the BMF. Working towards opening up new roots in the building industry as a result of out-of-the-box thinking. As, we believe, that without change you cannot adapt in this market. 

If you’re currently in the building materials industry and are struggling to hire, or maybe you need some support training your team on the latest hiring practices, then get in touch. We’re not about a quick fee. We want to work with you to help your business thrive.