Success of Jones Bros’ training department recognised by three industry awards12th Nov 2015

Jones Bros’ commitment to providing high quality training has been recognised by a series of awards and nominations from leading construction industry organisations.

The North Wales firm is one of just three companies shortlisted in the Outstanding Training Partner category at the 2015 Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) Pride of Construction awards.

Jones Bros is also shortlisted in the Training Excellence category at the 2016 Construction News Specialist Awards.

And the Ruthin-headquartered civil engineering contractor has completed the trio of successes by winning the Member of the Year: Wales award at this year’s Building Safety Group awards.

Jones Bros has trained hundreds of its workforce and external learners at its bespoke in-house training centre in Ruthin and quarry at the Horseshoe Pass, Llangollen.

Last year, it won the CITB’s Outstanding Training Partner 2014 award, and was a finalist in the 2015 Construction News Specialist Awards in the Training Excellence category.

Jones Bros has since had its busiest ever year for apprenticeships, hiring 23 plant operative apprentices over the last 12 months.

The firm has also provided further training opportunities through the Prince’s Trust Wales, and has launched a new groundworks apprenticeship programme, which will begin in November 2015.

Health, safety, environment, quality and training manager Dave Gibson said: “The awards indicate just how important training and the development of our workforce is to Jones Bros.

“The nominations for both the CITB and Construction News awards are a testament to the outstanding work of everyone in the training department, while the BSG award shows we put health, safety and environmental responsibility at the forefront of every project.

“It’s extremely important to us to develop our in-house workforce, and we’ve worked hard to find different ways of providing training and employment opportunities for young people.

“We’re proud of the contribution our trainees make to our projects across the UK.”

The BSG award celebrates Jones Bros’ commitment to best practice in health, safety and environmental welfare at its sites across the UK.

Jones Bros runs CITB accredited courses and apprenticeship programmes from its dedicated training centre. Courses include training in mobile construction plant operation, plant maintenance, health and safety and environmental management.

The purpose-designed training and testing facility has a 100-acre area where trainees can practice operating plant. The centre is also available for hire by external companies.

Jones Bros will find out if they’ve won the CITB award at a ceremony at the Natural History Museum on November 25, and the Construction News awards will be held on February 24, 2016 at the Hilton Park Lane, London.

Mark Bodger, strategic partnerships director, CITB Cymru Wales, said: “Congratulations to Jones Bros for being shortlisted for the training provider award, the same category that they won at last year’s event.

“Jones Bros is a forward looking organisation, delivering regular training to its workforce and employing significant numbers of apprentices – a commitment that has once again being recognised at this year’s Pride of Construction awards.”

Founded in the 1950s and employing 350 people, Jones Bros has grown significantly in the last decade. It is currently working on contracts including the construction of waste management facilities, highways, flood and marine defence and renewable energy projects around the UK.