Ask 17-year-old apprentice Alfie Dobbs what he thinks of the builders’ merchant sector and he replies it is “fascinating, fun and full of opportunity”.
This could be because builders’ merchanting is in the apprentice’s blood. Alfie’s father William has more than 20 years’ experience in the business and so Alfie has grown up around the merchant sector, but he also sees merchanting as an exciting career and is already making a name for himself, despite only finishing his GCSEs in 2023.
Alfie is currently completing the Builders’ Merchants Federation Trade Supplier Apprenticeship course, run by LEAP Apprenticeships and Early Careers, as well as gaining valuable experience working at Fulham Timber Merchants in South London.
He began his career in September 2023 working in the warehouse, where he quickly learned about the many and varied building materials the business stocks, and how to serve customers and offer great customer service. But he quickly progressed to a dual role behind the trade counter, where he was able to learn even more about how the sector works and has since started a new role in the sales office.
“It’s really fascinating,” he says. “Dealing with customers face to face was obviously new to me, and I think people weren’t sure what to expect from someone who was new and younger than a lot of the other staff, so I’ve enjoyed building customer confidence and developing really good relationships with people.’’
Meeting new people
Outside of working at Fulham Timber Merchants, Alfie was also able to attend the Worshipful Company of Builders’ Merchants (WCoBM) City & Awards luncheon with his father, who is a Liveryman of the Company, in London in March 2024. He says WCoBM events like these, as well as attending the ceremony where his father was given the Freedom of the City of London, have really inspired him.
During the City & Awards luncheon, Alfie had the opportunity to meet new people in the industry who have excelled in their roles, including Owen Sutton from Keyline Civils Specialist, who was awarded BMF Apprentice of the Year.
Just a few months later, in May 2024, Alfie was named as LEAP Apprentice of the Month and praised for showing “truly remarkable commitment and dedication” throughout his programme at Fulham Timber Merchants.
“He consistently exhibits enthusiasm in showcasing his outstanding apprenticeship work and displays a keen eagerness to progress further in the industry,” LEAP said.
But Alfie says he still finds that many people are still not aware of the builders’ merchant sector.
“Jobs in the industry are not well promoted and there is a lack of understanding of what merchanting is outside of the industry,” he says.
“For example, if I said I work in a builders’ merchant, a lot of people think that means I’m a builder. Or maybe they think you’re a carpenter if you said you work for a timber merchant. I often have to explain that we supply and deliver materials to builders – it’s the easiest way to describe it’’.
Alfie believes builders’ merchanting and the building materials sector should get a higher profile at career events in schools and colleges, because there are more career opportunities in the sector than many people realise, from sales to logistics, marketing or even accounting.
He continues: “The industry is not very well promoted as a place to work. It would be different if it was talked about more positively in schools and colleges, as both school students and parents would have a better understanding of the opportunities in the industry.”
Looking ahead, Alfie says he is keen to learn more about the sector and work his way up the business, with the ultimate aim of one day starting his own builders’ merchants.
“If you have the work ethic to drive yourself and be consistent, there’s no limit in this sector,” says Alfie.
Alfie’s Trade Supplier Apprenticeship has clearly already set him in good stead for the future, giving him a strong understanding of the builders’ merchanting sector, the products and services that merchants supply, and how to communicate effectively and offer great customer service. This learning is supported by his work at Fulham Timber Merchants, where he gets the chance to learn practical skills and put his apprenticeship studies into practice.
Grants are available to learn new skills
These specialised apprenticeships offer young people their first step into what can be a fantastic lifelong career in merchanting, and WCoBM is keen to help as many young people as possible develop new skills and learn more about the builders’ merchant sector.
That’s why the Company offers grants of up to £2,000 to support training and education for individuals and companies within the building materials industry. Grants are also available for school leavers, college or university graduates, students and apprentices who would like to enter the sector for the first time.
Once approved, the grant can be used to partially or fully support the following:
- The purchase of relevant materials that enable learning, eg, computer equipment, practical tools or other learning materials
- Dedicated qualifications, modules, training platforms or courses that are proven to contribute to further learning or development within the building materials sector
- Apprenticeship programmes
- Dedicated work experience that allows for relevant training and new learning within the industry to support role development.
Other requests are considered on case-by-case basis. Merchants and building material suppliers can also apply for grants, subject to meeting the relevant criteria and demonstrating how the funding would be beneficial to their teams’ ongoing development.
If you, or someone you know, would like to apply for a grant, visit wcobm.co.uk/grants-and-funding for more information.
* This article was originally published in Builders’ Merchants Journal’s February 2025 issue.
