Hard work pays off with award victory for project civil engineer Gwion24th Nov 2022

Gwion Lloyd believes that winning a trophy at the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) Wales Awards is his reward for four years’ hard work.

The Jones Bros project civil engineer celebrated lifting the most promising trainee civil engineer (non-graduate) award with joint-winner Sonny Dolan of Walters UK, just a fortnight before he turned 23.

The annual awards, which were staged at the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff this year, are a formal way of recognising the most promising young people across the sector.

A victorious Gwion, who was presented with his award by former Wales cross-code rugby star, Jonathan Davies, said: “I wasn’t expecting to win, but it feels like recognition for my hard work over the last four years.

“When I was invited down, I certainly didn’t think it was because I’d won, I was heading to Cardiff to enjoy the night and celebrate the occasion.

“It was wonderful to be able to head back to North Wales with a trophy and I want to thank Jones Bros for its support.”

Jones Bros contracts director Hefin Lloyd-Davies nominated Gwion for the award.

He said: “I interviewed Gwion when he first applied to join Jones Bros and it’s been fantastic to see him progress on both a professional and personal level.

“There was something about Gwion when I first met him that convinced me he had real potential, and we are all so pleased and proud of how he’s developed during his time with the company.”

Gwion, who hails from Harlech, was one of the first seven higher apprentices to complete an innovative four-year civil engineering course run in collaboration with Coleg Cambria that started with a Higher National Certificate (HNC) and finished with a Higher National Diploma (HND).

He is currently working on a major transport depot by the side of the M6 in Middlewich, Cheshire.

Established in the 1950s, Jones Bros owns one of the largest plant fleets in the UK and employs approximately 500 people.

The company is currently working on contracts in various sectors including highways, flood and marine defence, waste management and renewable energy around the UK.

The company runs an award-winning apprenticeship scheme, which has produced nearly 50 per cent of its current workforce, with many of its senior managers having started out as apprentices or in a trainee role. It has recruited more than 100 apprentices during the past three years.