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THE Building Merchants Federation continues to strengthen its commitment to the Armed Forces community through support of the Armed Forces Covenant and its ambition is to achieve Silver status under the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme( ERS) in 2026.
The Armed Forces Covenant is a national pledge that ensures members of the Armed Forces community are treated fairly in accessing employment, education, housing and other services.
Organisations that sign the Covenant publicly commit to supporting the Armed Forces community and the considerable value they bring to the workplace.
The Employer Recognition Scheme( ERS), administered by the Ministry of Defence, recognises employers that actively support Defence personnel and the wider Armed Forces community.
Through its Bronze, Silver and Gold awards, the scheme highlights organisations that demonstrate a genuine commitment to attracting, recruiting, developing and retaining Armed Forces talent.
Having already been awarded ERS Bronze status, the BMF is now working towards the next level of recognition, creating opportunities for serving personnel, veterans, reservists, and cadets within the building materials industry.
Achieving Silver status requires employers to provide tangible evidence of their support, including fair recruitment practices, positive workplace policies and active engagement with the Armed Forces community.
It is increasingly recognised as a mark of good
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From Cadet to Career with the Building
Materials Industry
YOUR SKILLS. YOUR FUTURE. YOUR CAREER.
employment practice and social value.
BMCareers Cadet Pack
As part of its ongoing Armed Forces engagement programme, the BMF has recently developed a new cadet careers pack designed to raise awareness among cadets, schools, careers advisers and youth leaders of the wide range of careers available across the building materials sector.
Cadet organisations play a vital role in developing young people, equipping them with skills and attributes that employers value.
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Through their cadet experience, young people develop leadership, teamwork, communication, resilience, self-discipline, problem-solving skills and confidence. |
These qualities transfer into many roles across merchanting, distribution, logistics, operations, manufacturing and customer service.
Commenting on the initiative, the BMF’ s Learning & Development and Apprenticeship Manager, Marianna Peet said:
“ The BMF recognises the important role cadet organisations play in developing future talent
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and helping young people prepare for employment, and the building materials sector offers a diverse range of rewarding and long-term career opportunities.
“ From branch operations and warehousing through to sales, management development, technical specialisms and supply chain leadership, there are many pathways where cadets can apply their skills and continue their personal and professional development.
“ Cadets often enter the workplace with a strong work ethic, practical mindset and willingness to learn.
“ Their experience of working as part of a team, taking responsibility and demonstrating leadership makes them an excellent fit for our industry and an important source of future talent.”
The new Cadet Pack forms part of the BMF’ s broader BMCareers programme, an industry-wide recruitment initiative designed to help members tackle long-term skills shortages by attracting more people into the sector.
BMCareers provides a central platform where employers can promote vacancies, apprenticeships, work experience and career opportunities while showcasing the wide variety of roles available across merchanting, manufacturing, distribution and the wider supply chain.
By engaging with audiences ranging from school leavers and career changers to Armed Forces cadets, the initiative helps members widen their recruitment reach and build sustainable talent pipelines for the future.
The new BMCareers Cadet Pack highlights:
• Career pathways across the
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building materials sector
• Apprenticeship and training opportunities
• Transferable skills gained through cadet experience
• Leadership and personal development opportunities
• The breadth of careers available within merchanting, manufacturing, distribution and the wider supply chain
The initiative forms part of the BMF’ s wider commitment to supporting the Armed Forces community while helping members address future workforce and skills challenges.
The BMF is encouraging member companies to explore opportunities to recruit cadets, engage with local cadet units and support Armed Forces initiatives within their communities.
Marianna continued:“ The Armed Forces community represents a valuable and often underutilised talent pool.
“ By strengthening links with cadet organisations and supporting the Armed Forces Covenant, employers can access motivated individuals with highly transferable skills while demonstrating their commitment to social value and responsible business practices.
“ Through initiatives such as the BMCareers Cadet Pack, the BMF is helping members build stronger talent pipelines, support local communities and contribute to the development of a skilled and resilient future workforce for the building materials sector.”
For further information or to obtain a PDF copy of the BMCareers Cadet Pack, contact the BMF team or visit the BMCareers website( www. bmcareers. com).
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