Ironmongery Direct, the Basildon-based online and trade retailer, has launched a new graduate scheme.

The project, highly innovative within the industry, is designed to recruit and fast track the brightest management graduates.

The first two graduates have already been recruited on to the 18 month management development programme, which is accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management.

Michael Tomlinson and Dimitra Koutsochera are now working on projects that have an immediate impact on the business.

Wayne Lysaght-Mason, managing director of the firm, said: “The leadership programme is designed to provide talented graduates with all the support they need to master and improve their business and leadership skills. It will give them unrivalled experience and insights into areas such as product management, operations, customer service, marketing, and web development.

“Ironmongery Direct offers graduates a rare opportunity to experience all areas of the business, combined with the hands-on approach to management that comes with working at a smaller business.”

Michael, who graduated in international management and American business studies, said he joined the graduate scheme to build on his management skills and broaden his technical expertise in the retail industry. Dimitra, whose degree is in business management, shares these aims.

Wayne said: “Michael’s qualifications and career ambitions made him an ideal candidate. Similarly, Dimitra’s already well-developed expertise, along with her enthusiasm for working at the company, made her equally ideal.

“It is important, if Ironmongery Direct is to stay at the forefront of the industry, that we obtain an input from young minds with fresh ideas. We developed the graduate scheme to source the freshest talent and develop a strong leadership team.

“Between them, the two graduate trainees will contribute to the process of driving the company forward and developing new markets.”

Further opportunities are available for graduates at IronmongeryDirect, which is now the UK’s largest online supplier of hardware products to the construction industry. It also runs a thriving trade counter from its Basildon centre.

Wayne said: “We are currently recruiting and investing in more graduates who can demonstrate real entrepreneurial spirit and flair. The first two graduates on the programme were chosen for their passion and experience and we’re hoping to emulate this success with the next recruits.”

IronmongeryDirect began life in 1973 as a hardware store in Leigh. In 1999 it moved to a collection of warehouses in Hockley, before setting up in its present, purpose built facility in 2011.

Ironmongery Direct is now on target for a turnover of £50million a year.

For more information on the graduate scheme, see: www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk