Online and mail order supplier of ironmongery products has taken on four new apprentices in contact centre and distribution department at its HQ in Basildon, working towards NVQ and City & Guilds qualifications.
Apprentices Ben Lake and Rebecca Weston have taken up positions in the contact centre, training for an NVQ in customer service. Their apprenticeships will run for 12 months, where they will learn all aspects of the business in the departments to help them towards their qualifications.

Meanwhile, Raye Rowland and Matt Whitehead will be working towards a City & Guilds in Warehousing based in the distribution centre.

Ironmongery Direct md Wayne Lysaght-Mason commented: "Whilst we have invested in the business infrastructure, equally important is the investment in people. We're really pleased to be starting an apprenticeship scheme in such a key area of the business, which adds further to our commitment to staff."

With over 14,000 products in the range, there is a requirement for continual education, said the company, with training and product awareness sessions across the whole Ironmongery Direct team. Already the company invests in training staff to GAI (Guild of Architectural Ironmongers) standards.

IronmongeryDirect has grown significantly in recent years with the company relocating to its current 50,000sq ft premises in Basildon two years ago and staff numbers increasing by 15% since.