HAI Certificate – Latest News (June 2023)

After nine months of online modules and onsite learning and reflection, students in the HAI Certificate have completed their final module and are preparing to wrap up their learning.

The final module, covering Team Building and Team Leading, was delivered by Noel Davidson in a highly interactive session on the 25^th of April, and was followed by the final Product Knowledge module covering Fasteners & Fixings products, presented by Gary Buckley from Tuck’s Fasteners.

At this point in the course, the students’ (and their mentors’) closing assignment is a final reflection on their learning, giving them a chance to look back on where they started, how much they have learned, and where they have flourished and found their strength most. This is an essential and inspiring point of the programme giving students and their mentors a chance to look back on how far they have come, and how much further they can progress in their role.

Geared up for Graduation

With the students preparing to wrap up their studies they can now prepare for the Graduation Ceremony, where all students and their mentors will get a chance to meet some of their tutors, Octabuild members, as well as reunite with the HAI team in person to receive their certificate in recognition of their efforts. Two students will receive further recognition with our Student of the Year and Highly Commended Student awards.

Highlights of this year’s Graduation Ceremony will be covered in the next issue of The Hardware Journal.

Octabuild Members and others sharing their Product Knowledge

As always, HAI thanks Octabuild and its members (Dulux, Etex, Glennon Brothers, Grant Engineering, Gyproc, Irish Cement, Kingspan, and Wavin) and other suppliers Ames True Temper, Toolbank and Tucks Fasteners for their support and expertise. Together they have provided this year’s students with essential product and industry information to prepare them for any trade or retail interactions they might face, while also giving them a fully rounded view of the industry.

Here is the full list of all Product Knowledge modules delivered this year:

• Paint & Décor – Dulux Paints
• Heating Products – Grant Engineering
• Insulation Products – Kingspan Insulation
• Roof and Timber Products – Etex and Glennon Brothers
• Plumbing Products – Wavin Ireland
• Cement Products – Irish Cement and Gyproc
• Garden Products – Ames True Temper
• Hand and Power Tools – Toolbank Ireland
• Fasteners & Fixings – Tuck’s Fastener’s & Fixings

In these final stages of the HAI Certificate Hardware Association Ireland would like to thank Octabuild and its members for their continued support as sponsors for this year, and look forward to continuing to work with them into the future.

Octabuild Chairperson, Declan Conlon, Sales Manager for Wavin, commented: “Octabuild member companies have been delighted to share their expertise and support the nurturing of talent in the builders merchant trade through this sponsorship. The training and development offered by the HAI Certificate as a whole and the Product Knowledge modules in particular plays a significant role in ensuring the future development and ultimate success of the industry. This is fundamental to Octabuild’s purpose and we are delighted to be able to bring it to life through this partnership.”

Enrolment now open for 2023/2024

HAI is delighted to open enrolment for the next year of the HAI Certificate in Hardware Retail & Merchanting. If you are a retailer/builders merchant and have an employee new to their role, to the sector or in need of across the board training in all facets of retail/merchanting to progress their career, then contact aoife@hardwareassociation.ie. Download the 2023 brochure here.

For more information about the HAI Certificate in Hardware Retail and Merchanting contact Aoife at aoife@hardwareassociation.ie or call 01 2980969.