Northants company pledges 1,200 apprenticeship places under BMF scheme

Highbourne Group Ltd, based in Crick, has committed to providing the apprenticeships within its City Plumbing and Plumbing Trade Supplies brands as part of the BMF’s Apprenticeship Pledge campaign.

The scheme aims to secure 15,000 apprenticeship places in the multi-billion-pound sector by 2030.

Highbourne Group’s contribution takes the total apprenticeship places pledged by more than 88 BMF member companies to over 14,888.

Darren Redwood, Operations Director for Highbourne Group, said: “We are incredibly proud to support the BMF Apprenticeship Pledge and take a proactive role in shaping the future of our industry’s workforce.

“Our commitment goes beyond attracting new talent—it’s also about empowering our existing team members to upskill and grow too.

“We’re a forward-thinking business, and we don’t just look for people who ‘fit’ into our culture; we seek individuals who will enrich it.

“With a strong track record of supporting apprentices and supporting colleagues to make lifelong careers in the merchanting industry, we’re excited to partner with the BMF to welcome even more talent."

Starting out as an apprentice at City Plumbing a decade ago, Wayne Shepherd is now a Regional Showroom Sales Manager. He said: “I joined City Plumbing in 2014 with no prior industry knowledge.

“Thanks to the support of my manager and colleagues, I completed my Level 3 apprenticeship and soon had the opportunity to manage my own branch. I would strongly encourage anyone considering an apprenticeship in merchanting to take the leap; it’s a fantastic pathway to a successful and fulfilling career.”

Representing over 1,000 merchant and supplier companies with combined sales of £51.6bn and employing nearly 198,000 people in the building materials sector, the BMF provides a range of apprenticeship support through LEAP on topics from warehousing to finance.

Alongside its Apprenticeship Pledge, the BMF’s Building Materials Careers campaign bmcareers.com launched last week (5 Feb) ahead of National Apprenticeship Week, offers advice and support for people looking to enter the industry.

BMF CEO John Newcomb said: “Building materials supply is a dynamic and varied sector which offers a wide range of opportunities to people both looking to enter the industry and already working within it.

“Highbourne Group’s announcement of a further 1,200 apprenticeship places is a significant step towards our goal of securing 15,000 apprentices in the sector by 2030.

“Our campaigns are designed to secure a pipeline of talented and skilled individuals who have the appropriate training and opportunities as well as robust prospects with plenty of options to develop, learn and excel.”