Marvin OnumonuThe British Coatings Federation (BCF) has launched a five-year careers outreach plan working with its member companies to raise awareness of the UK coatings industry as a career choice.
The ‘Coat Your Future’ campaign was launched at the BCF’s 2025 Annual Conference on 5th June in Kenilworth.
A BCF survey in 2024 found that 56% of coatings employers struggled to find candidates with relevant industry knowledge.
Low public awareness was also a problem, with 88% of employers saying lack of sector visibility was a major barrier to recruitment.
To tackle this, the BCF set up the Coatings NextGen Council (CNGC) in April 2024, led by careers coordinator Leah Elvin.
The CNGC has taken on careers outreach, mentoring, digital content and advising on the BCF’s strategy from a younger person’s point of view.
From autumn 2025, the CNGC and BCF members will roll out the ‘Coat Your Future’ campaign at careers fairs, exhibitions and interactive events, aiming to reach students making key decisions about their futures.
The BCF is also helping members link up with schools and colleges, encouraging them to promote the industry locally.
Helen Anderton, finance director at INX International UK, and Andrew Roser, national sector lead at Dulux Decorator Centre (AkzoNobel), both co-chairs of the CNGC, presented the new strategy at the conference.
Roser said: “Our industry faces a variety of challenges. From an ageing workforce, difficulty attracting diverse talent and insufficient graduate recruitment.
“However, the coatings industry is full of passionate experts whose involvement with the CNGC and BCF can help combat these challenges head-on.
“As co-chair of the CNGC, I’m excited to see us move the dial.”
Roser added: “We already have plans locked in to attend more outreach events than ever before, release engaging video content and case studies relevant to those starting out in their careers, launch a refreshed look for the Coatings Careers Hub, and bring the new ‘Coat Your Future’ campaign to campuses across the UK.
“So, whether it’s joining us at an event, doing a school visit, or sharing your career story online, it takes just one conversation to ignite someone else’s passion for coatings.”
