Jones Bros engineers old and new celebrate at national awards ceremony2nd May 2014

Workers at the start and end of their respective careers with Jones Bros have been honoured at the annual CECA Wales Awards.

Three people from Jones Bros were recognised at the awards ceremony. Recently retired construction manager Dilwyn Davies was presented with a special contribution to the industry award.

He was joined at the awards by Sion Dolben Hughes and Liam Wyn Griffiths, who were named the runners up in the most promising trainee civil engineer and apprentice categories.

Dilwyn, 69 from Cross Hands, Carmarthen, has managed a number of significant projects for Jones Bros since joining the firm in 2001, including the award-winning Tywyn Coastal Defence Scheme. 

He was recognised for excellence in managing complex schemes, and building positive relationships with clients, contractors and the public living close to ongoing projects. One notable example was on the Tywyn project, where local residents delivered cards and cake when one of the plant operators mentioned it was Dilwyn’s birthday.

Dilwyn said: “I was very pleased to win the award, it was a real honour.

“Jones Bros has been a great team to work for. The company has a great family feel to it, but they also do some fantastic work on significant projects across the country.

“We’ve worked on some really interesting projects together – the one that sticks out in my mind was developing Holyhead Port, where we had to reclaim many hectares of land, working around the tide patterns. It was a very good project.

“I retired last month, but I’ll still be helping out here and there however I can – whatever Jones Bros want me to do really! Other than that, I’m looking forward to doing some travelling.”

Also among those recognised at the awards was Sion Dolben Hughes in the most promising trainee civil engineer category. 

Sion, 19, from Corwen, has shown great improvements since joining Jones Bros in July 2012, applying his skills to projects including a challenging pipeline replacement project and wind farms in Peterborough and Cornwall.

James Lockwood, a Jones Bros site agent and engineer that mentored Sion, said: “Sion has risen to every challenge and problem we have thrown at him.

“Sion has an excellent attitude – I’ve not met many people who would have been able to learn and absorb all of these activities in such a short space of time along with studying for his HNC in civil engineering and building studies.”

And Liam Wyn Griffiths made it a trio of successes after being named runner up in the most promising apprentice award.

Plant operative apprentice Liam, 23, from Tal-y-Bont, Conwy, joined Jones Bros this year after impressing while working as a stonemason for a subcontractor.

As well as completing a number of qualifications as part of his apprenticeship, he has also impressed senior trainer Huw Isaac Williams with his attitude to learning.

“Liam has a bright future ahead of him in the construction industry,” Huw said.

“It has been a pleasure to guide and teach Liam into his new career path. He is an excellent student, courteous and professional at all times with drive and enthusiasm to achieve at everything he has been tasked with.”

The CECA Awards, held at the Marriot Hotel, Cardiff, recognise new entrants and individuals that are learning their trade and profession, as well as those that have served the civil engineering industry well over their careers.

Founded in the 1950s and employing almost 300 people, Jones Bros has grown rapidly in the last decade.  It is currently working on contracts in various sectors including the construction of waste management facilities, highways, flood and marine defence and renewable energy projects around the UK.