Meet Harold, the 91-year-old Bunnings employee who says “you’re never too old”

A nonagenarian has proven age is no barrier when it comes to the lowest prices for your projects at Australia’s beloved hardware giant Bunnings.

Harold, 91, is Bunnings’ oldest team member, having first joined the team at its Canberra Airport location four years ago when he was 87 years old.

But Harold came with an arsenal of experience that made him a perfect fit for a position at the tradie and DIY mecca.

“Harold started his career at 16 years of age as a fitting and machinery apprentice, went on to become a mechanical engineer by trade and has worked across a wide range of industries during his career – such as sales, operations, maintenance and industry safety,” a post on the Bunnings LinkedIn page read.

Harold now spends his time at the tool shop register, working one of the front registers, or helping customers and “chatting to them about their DIY projects”.

The best thing about Bunnings, according to Harold? His team.

“They always make the time to check-in to see how he’s going,” the LinkedIn post continues — so much so that over 400 team members recently acknowledged Harold’s 91st birthday on Bunnings’ internal messenger.

“The Canberra Airport team truly love Harold’s humble nature, his ‘go-getter’ energy and that he’s always ready to contribute and get involved,” Bunnings said.

It’s a heartwarming tale from the mega-chain that was recently crowned Australia’s strongest brand as consecutive lockdowns and a hot property market saw consumers tackle around-the-home projects and renovations.

The Wesfarmers-owned hardware chain jumped eight spots this year, beating Woolworths in second place and Officeworks in third in Brand Finance Australia’s 2022 annual analysis of brand strength.

But it’s not so easy to rejoin the workforce later in life, and Harold’s advice to others is to remember “you’re never too old”.

“[He] believes that age should never be a barrier, as you should focus on your strengths and capabilities,” said Bunnings in its LinkedIn post.

“Harold also adds that many customers, as well as his team, appreciate the experience and knowledge of older team members.”