Graduation Day at The HAI Certificate in Hardware Retail and Merchanting

After nine months, nine modules and 4 Product Knowledge modules, the students of the inaugural HAI Certificate in Hardware Retail and Merchanting completed their learnings, and their hard work was rewarded at the Graduation Day.

The 2021/2022 students, their mentors, and some of the tutors of the HAI Certificate joined the HAI team at The Osprey Hotel on the 3^rd of June to celebrate the students’ successful completion of their learning. Each student was presented with their Certificate of Completion by Mark Filgate, Octabuild Board Member, HAI CEO Martin Markey and HAI President Michael O’Donohoe.

While all students displayed excellent commitment to their learning, it was decided by the tutors and HAI team to present William Kenny from Lambert’s Homevalue Hardware as The Student of The Year, and Jamie O’Mahony from Walsh’s Homevalue as High Achieving Student, for their ongoing display of commitment to their learnings.

Student of the Year William Kenny, Lambert’s Homevalue Hardware, with HAI President Michael O’Donohoe, Octabuild Board Member Mark Filgate, and HAI CEO Martin Markey

High Achieving Student Jamie O’Mahony, Walsh’s Homevalue Hardware, with HAI President Michael O’Donohoe, Octabuild Board member Mark Filgate, and HAI CEO Martin Markey.

HAI would like to congratulate all students for their successful completion of the HAI Certificate, and wish them all every success in their careers:

• Anthony Markey – Brooks Timber & Building Supplies Ltd
• Jamie Hamill – Grahams of Monaghan
• Zach Perkins – Grahams of Monaghan
• Cian Doherty – HPC Group
• Michelle Moloney – HPC Group
• Sean Whitty – Kehoe Marine Ltd
• Kristian Moss – Kehoe Marine Ltd
• William Kenny – Lambert’s Homevalue
• Sean O’Keeffe – Morris’s Builders Providers
• Grace O’Mahony – Morris’s Builders Providers
• David O’Brien – Murdock Builders Merchants
• Glen Daly – Murdock Builders Merchants
• Sean White – Rooneys Homevalue
• Paul O’Carroll – Skerries Hardware and Pet Centre
• John Donegan – Topline Murphy & O Connor
• Nathan O’hEithir – Topline O’Connor
• Jamie O’Mahony – Walshs Homevalue

The students and mentors are all reported growth in their confidence in their role, whether it’s in interacting with customers and answering their questions, or making suggestions on operations and instore promotions. It was this Confidence Through Knowledge that contributed to the students success.

The full list of modules completed by students are:

Personal Development:

Communication Skills

Selling Skills

Customer Service

Credit and Financial Management:

Understanding Basic Finance

Credit Control

In-Store Management:

Stock Control

Merchandising Essentials

Marketing and Promotion:

Digital Marketing and Social Media

Management Skills:

Teambuilding and Team Leading

Product Knowledge

In addition to their modules the students also attended a number of Product Knowledge modules. Presented by experts and suppliers in their respective sectors, these modules gave the students an overview of the key FAQs they might face from customers. The modules covered to date were:

Paint and Décor – Kevin Coghlan

Timber Products – Michael Minchin, Glennon Brothers

Garden Products – Niall Nugent, Ames True Temper

Heating & Plumbing – Declan Conlon, Wavin

WITH THANKS TO OCTABUILD AND ITS MEMBERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT

As always, Hardware Association Ireland thanks Octabuild and its members for their ongoing support as official sponsor of the HAI Certificate in Hardware Retail and Merchanting 2021/2022. As a group of major Irish building material suppliers – Dulux Paints Ireland, Etex Ireland, Glennon Brothers, Grant Engineering, Gyproc, Irish Cement, Kingspan Insulation and Wavin Ireland – Octabuild is committed to promoting the benefits of high quality, Irish manufactured products for the building, construction and DIY sectors.

2022/2023 Enrolment is now OPEN

If you have an employee or employees who are new to hardware retail/merchanting, and are looking for formalised training in the area to help refine their skills for the future of their career, contact Aoife at aoife@hardwareassociation.ie or call 01 2980969 about enrolling your team today.