The BMF outlines the importance of facilitating conveniently-located training programmes, explaining how its ‘Regional Centres of Excellence’ initiative is making a difference.
The BMF’s 2018 membership survey found that Training was one of the Federation’s ‘top five’ most valued services, with 87% listing it amongst their reasons for being a member. The same survey found that members would appreciate training days closer to home, rather than having to travel to the BMF’s national centre in Coventry on every occasion, as this would enable a wider cross-section of staff to attend.
Working with its members the BMF identifed appropriate facilities for regional hubs where local groups could come together for regional training courses as well as other meetings. Thanks to a fantastic response from companies around the country, the BMF has created a network of superb local training and conference facilities — selected for their ease of access and ample car-parking as well as their high-quality meeting rooms.
Branded as BMF Regional Centres of Excellence, they provide an excellent resource to ensure that local training needs are fully met. There are currently 27 BMF Regional Centres of Excellence around the country, with a minimum target of 30 by the end of the year to give every BMF member a choice of three such centres in their region and providing maximum accessibility for all.
One of the most important features of the new training centres is that they enable small group courses to take place. Previously it had not been financially viable to run courses for fewer than 10 people. While this is an undoubted benefit, the main advantage is that our Regional Centres of Excellence means getting to our training courses is far less time consuming and delegates no longer have to factor in the cost of a long journey or overnight accommodation alongside the cost of the course.
Over the past 12 months, the BMF has run courses for a wide variety of merchant staff at these regional centres. Some offer specific merchant skills — such as the Yard Forman’s Toolkit, Maximising Margins and How a House is Built — while others focus on general business skills, but still tailored to the merchant industry. This latter group includes Data Protection, Employment Law, Finance for Non-Finance Managers and Leadership Skills for Supervisors.
BMF Regional Centres of Excellence have also proved a huge success with BMF Diploma in Merchanting students, providing a regular meeting point for regional groups to get together for discussion groups and tutorials at the start of each module.
While most BMF training is now available at a centre near you, some specialist courses — such as Driver CPC — have to be run at a central location. We have three such courses running at Old Coventrians Rugby Club this summer, on 8 June, 22 June and 13 July.
Most goods vehicle drivers must do 35 hours of periodic training every five years to keep their Driver CPC. Our one-day Driver CPC Course is designed to be taken year-on-year, covering bite size pieces of the whole syllabus — much less pressured than cramming a week’s training once every five years. Nonetheless it covers all relevant areas of a driver’s daily duties and, running on an annual basis, is possibly a better way to keep up to date with ever changing legislation, thus helping to protect both driving and operator licences.
The course also aims to reinforce good customer relations and encourages drivers to follow best practice as well as compliance standards. All in all, a great way to consolidate knowledge through discussion, interactive learning and practical applied exercises.
Visit www.bmf.org.uk to find details of all BMF Training including dates and locations. If you can’t see the course you want in your area, speak to your BMF Regional Manager and ask for one to be arranged.
BMF training ranges from formal Apprenticeships and sector-specific Diplomas and a Foundation Degree in Merchant Management, to online product knowledge and other specialist skills training.
For more information visit www.bmf.org.uk or contact paige.godsell@bmf.org.ukor call her on 02476 854989.
