Talented apprentices to be recognised at Swansea Bay Construction Support Group awards

Anthony Thomas, Chairman of the Swansea Bay Construction Support Group Awards

Some of the most skilled and talented apprentices from across the region will be recognised at an awards ceremony in Swansea next week.

The Swansea Bay Construction Support Group’s 2022 awards ceremony – the first to take place since the pre-Covid inaugural awards ceremony in 2019 – will occur on July 7, 2022, at the Village Hotel, Swansea.

The prestigious event will recognise the achievements of the cream of talented apprentices representing the future of the construction industry in the South Wales region.

The awards ceremony – which will be hosted once again by Kev Johns and includes a three-course meal – is part of an ongoing objective to promote the construction industry and showcase the benefits of considering a career in the sector.

By recognising the achievements of those shortlisted, the awards night also aims to highlight the skills that individuals can gain by taking the apprenticeship route into the profession.

The ceremony will see awards presented to apprentices nominated from the Swansea Bay Construction Support Group’s member companies, which include: J.G. Hale Construction; ASW Property Services; CJ Construction; John Weaver; Andrew Scott; Craftsman Flooring and Green Hat Consulting.

There will be 13 awards given in total on the night – one for each of the 11 nominations, one for best technical apprentice, and one for best construction apprentice. The shortlisted apprentices are: Owain Hinton, Ryan Murphy, Lewis Davies, James Cook, Nicarta Guthrie, Kim Smitham, Jordan Jones, Dalton Brown, Lewis Jones, Rowan Thomas, and Joseph Murnane.

The Swansea Bay Construction Support Group (SBCSG) is a collaboration of diverse contractors, located within the Neath, Port Talbot and Swansea region. It is a grant funded, not for profit organisation, that is committed to providing cost-effective training and development opportunities to its members.

This year’s ceremony is sponsored by Alpha Safety Training, PCR Global and Barry Training Services, with CIOB sponsoring the winners’ trophies. The event will feature a raffle and auction to raise funds for the charity Hands Up for Downs.

Anthony Thomas, Chairman of the Swansea Bay Construction Support Group Awards, said:

“The construction industry can be a very rewarding career but is often overlooked by young adults leaving school and considering their future professional options. It is wonderful, therefore, that the Swansea Bay Construction Support Group Awards exist to not only recognise the achievements of the apprentices embarking on their chosen career with the member companies, but also to promote positivity about the many varied opportunities available to individuals who are choosing a career when leaving school or college, or who are looking for a change in direction.

“We look forward to hearing about the talented individuals nominated, and their achievements, at the ceremony. They really do represent the future of the construction industry in the region, and we wish them all the best for the future.”

Gemma Mineur, Training Officer at SBCSG Group, said:

“It is a delight to be able to bring back the Swansea Bay Construction Support Group Awards after a nearly three-year gap due to Covid. The event will shine a bright light upon the achievements of local apprentices as they begin one of the many exciting career paths available within the construction sector.”

Marc Cheverton, Director, Craftsman Flooring, said:

“The SBCSG Awards, for small businesses like ours, provide a unique and exciting opportunity for us to recognise and reward our highly valued trainees & apprentices at a prestigious event.”

Mark Bowen, Managing Director of Andrew Scott Ltd, said:

“Andrew Scott Ltd is committed to investing in apprenticeship programmes to empower the next generation of skilled employees. We believe commitment to training and development is the key to a successful future for our company and the wider construction industry.

“One of our key business objectives is to maximise the ‘Welsh pound’ by recruiting local apprentices and training them for long-term careers, with help and support by local organisations such as Swansea Bay Construction Support Group. We are delighted that two of our Apprentices, Jordan and Nicarta, have been shortlisted for the Swansea Bay Construction Support Group Awards and look forward to celebrating their success with their peers at the Awards dinner.”