Plumbing Supply Company’s Trainee Program Prioritizes Future Workforce

(Photo above: Daniel Wallace | Photo Courtesy of Consolidated Supply Co.)
As graduation at Oregon State University approached in spring 2017, Daniel Wallace watched his fellow business management graduates prepare to take their first jobs in the “real world.” Some of these jobs included a week or two of training at the most, but the majority expected new employees to jump right in at companies they were just getting to know and commit to roles without the chance to explore where their passions lay. Wallace, however, was looking for something more, and he discovered plumbing supply company Consolidated Supply Co.’s two-year sales and management trainee program. With previous experience in internships that allowed him to connect directly with customers and contribute to a collaborative atmosphere, Wallace knew exactly what he wanted in the next step of his career.
“The in-depth program that Consolidated Supply offered really stood out,” Wallace said. “There are very few training programs that give you the opportunity to train in so many different positions over such a long period of time.”
Consolidated Supply Co. kicked off its training program to address a serious industry challenge: Since 1990, trade industries have experienced a significant lack of qualified and interested applicants. Nearly two-thirds of contractors have a difficult time filling open positions, according to the Associated General Contractors of America. After 90 years in business, the Tigard, Oregon-based company decide to tackle the shortage head on with a comprehensive training program designed to position participants to be an assistant branch manager. Wallace, a Gladstone, Oregon, native, is the second trainee at Consolidated Supply’s Bend branch.
“These aren’t positions we can easily go out and recruit and hire for,” Branch Manager Steve Laymon said. Instead of outsourcing recruitment, the trainee program in Bend invests in the industry’s next generation to create its own pipeline of talent within the Bend community. The seven-part program immerses trainees in everything from inventory management and customer interaction to company history and leadership.
Wallace said he appreciates the program’s focus on understanding Consolidated Supply’s business holistically. Products he handled and stocked during the inventory management portion of the training take on a new light as he learns about selling those products to customers.
“It’s an ‘aha moment,’” Wallace added.
One requirement of the program is flexibility; trainees need to be open to ultimately taking on roles in any aspect of the business, from warehouse to sales. As Wallace continues through the program, he is enjoying the chance to explore multiple facets.
“Right now, I am drawn to the outside sales role; the style of selling we do is more consultative than sales which offers a cool opportunity,” Wallace said. “But there are so many roles that this program gives me the flexibility to try out to find the best fit.”
Laymon said he sees the training program as one component that will help ensure the company’s future in a rapidly changing industry. “Spreading a comprehensive training program over two years gives participants a safe, supportive place to explore, learn and grow,” Laymon said. It also enables Wallace to build relationships with the local customers Consolidated Supply serves.
“It says a lot that a family-owned business has made it to 90 years of service, and the training program will keep the company moving in the right direction,” Laymon said. “Beyond the Bend branch, all 400 employees at all 17 branches of the company are working on internal training programs.”
Wallace said he is looking forward to continuing to grow with Consolidated Supply’s Bend branch and feels that the company’s family atmosphere aligns well with the training program. The willingness to develop talent and experience internally is what initially drew Wallace to Consolidated Supply, and he feels he’s found a home at the company.
“This company and the leadership have been willing to put in a huge investment in my development, and they’ve grown a culture that people want to be a part of,” Wallace said.
consolidatedsupply.com