Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

If you are looking for a job in the construction industry then enter Next Steps now. The deadline for this year’s competition is Friday, June 10 and there are four apprenticeships up for grabs from TRJ Ltd and Lloyd and Gravell Ltd. It is open to anyone aged 16 and over living in Carmarthenshire, and no previous experience is needed. Those shortlisted will be invited for interview, and the successful candidates will then spend five weeks on-site with skilled tradesmen during July and August to learn skills including carpentry, bricklaying, plastering and ground works. The winners will be announced at a prestigious ceremony on August 12 and then they will have a few weeks off before starting their apprenticeships in September. Any runners-up that really impress during the process may also be given further opportunities by other local contracting companies. Director of Lloyd and Gravell Ltd Kevin Gravell said: “This is the seventh year we have run this competition and it gives local pe...

This week is National Apprenticeship Week – and Next Steps is back! This year it is bigger and better than ever with not just two, but FOUR apprenticeships up for grabs from TRJ Ltd and Lloyd and Gravell Ltd. The two local building firms have teamed up with Constructing Carmarthenshire Together - a partnership between Carmarthenshire County Council’s Property Services section, Coleg Sir Gâr, and Carmarthenshire Construction Training Association Ltd – to run the annual competition. It is open to men and women living in Carmarthenshire aged 16 and over, and it doesn’t matter about previous experience. Candidates will spend a week at Coleg Sir Gâr’s Ammanford campus to undertake basic health and safety training for working on a building site; with a further five weeks of on-site work experience, where they will mentored by qualified tradesmen on a community benefit project to learn skills including carpentry, bricklaying, plastering and ground works. Executive board Member for the Envir...

Work has started on investment of almost £1million in Llanelli Market and its precincts. The next phase of the work includes improvements to the fire alarm, ventilation system and mains electrics and public wifi within the market hall and Stepney and Cowell precincts. The market and precincts remain open and business continues as usual as the improvement work is done out of hours by local contractors Lloyd and Gravell. Work involving scaffolding in both market precincts is expected to take three weeks. Llanelli Market and precincts are owned and managed by Carmarthenshire County Council. Executive board member for resources, Cllr David Jenkins, said: “Shoppers can be reassured that the market is open and businesses are trading as usual during this time. “Understandably there will be some disruption to shoppers and traders, but this will be kept to a minimum as contractors undertake the work outside of opening hours.” This investment will secure the long term future for the market, w...

A 16-year-old from Llanelli has made an unusual start to his career, by winning a unique construction apprenticeship. Former St John Lloyd pupil Keelan McNicholl-Edwards, of Clifton Terrace, has won the Next Steps 2013 competition, in which four teenagers have battled it out through the summer in a bid to win an apprenticeship with Llanelli and Gwendraeth-based construction firm Lloyd & Gravell Ltd. Keelan will start with the firm as a carpentry apprentice tomorrow, picking up skills on site and studying for a qualification at Coleg Sir Gâr’s Ammanford campus. Keelan said: “I am really chuffed, and didn’t think I’d win it because all the boys worked hard and deserved it. It’s been a fantastic experience, and I can’t wait to start.” Kevin Gravell, Director of Lloyd & Gravell Ltd, said: “Yet again, this year’s competition has been a huge success. All four boys have done themselves proud, and it has been harder than ever to pick one from the others. “Keelan has shown great en...

The go-ahead firm of Llanelli architects, the Lewis Partnership Ltd, has played a key role in the Next Steps project– a unique competition to find a new building apprentice for Carmarthenshire. The Next Steps project has seen six youngs boys competing against each other to win an apprenticeship with Gwendraeth-based building firm Lloyd & Gravell Ltd. The competition winner was Thornton Boswell, of Felinfoel, Llanelli, who recently picked up his GCSE results from Bryngwyn School. While competing for the coveted job, the six boys worked together as a team to complete a project that would benefit the community and leave a lasting legacy. The project was to create a safari themed sensory garden at Llanelli’s Heol Goffa School to benefit children with special needs. The project was designed by the Lewis Parnership. Managing director Philip Lewis said: “The courtyard design included a sensory space, new equipment, a sand pit, a quiet retreat and a water feature. The sensory garden incl...

A teenager fresh out of school has landed his dream job in the construction industry after winning Next Steps 2012 – a unique competition to find a new building apprentice for Carmarthenshire. Thornton Boswell, of Felinfoel, Llanelli, has only just picked up his GCSE results from Bryngwyn School, but this week he started work for Llanelli and Gwendraeth-based building firm Lloyd & Gravell Ltd. Thornton was one of six candidates who have taken part in the competition throughout the summer in a bid to win a fast-track to their chosen career. And whilst competing against each other for the coveted job, they worked together as a team to complete a project that would benefit the community and leave a lasting legacy. The 16-year-old said he was ‘over the moon’ to have won the competition, and started his first day of his carpentry apprenticeship on Monday. “I really didn’t expect to win – I’m really happy,” he said. “Chances like this don’t come around often for young boys like me.” The ...

The Carmarthenshire Council Next Steps project team are delighted to reveal that this year the candidates will be leaving a lasting legacy as part of the competition process. The six boys, along with their mentors and other members of staff from Lloyd and Gravell Ltd, will be creating a safari themed sensory garden at Llanelli’s Heol Goffa School to benefit children with special needs. It is the first year that the Next Steps competition has involved a community-based project. Kevin Gravell said: “As a company we try and give back as much as we can to our communities, and our own staff had already identified the sensory garden at Heol Goffa as a worthwhile project which they wanted to do in their own free time. “The timing fitted in perfectly with the Next Steps project, and we are thrilled to be able to give the boys such a great project to do as part of the competition. “To their credit, every one of them has been excited to get involved and they all realise that the work they a...

The Next Steps project team are delighted to reveal that this year the candidates will be leaving a lasting legacy as part of the competition process. The six boys, along with their mentors and other members of staff from Lloyd & Gravell Ltd, will be creating a safari themed sensory garden at Llanelli’s Heol Goffa School to benefit children with special needs. It is the first year that the Next Steps competition has involved a community-based project. Kevin Gravell said: “As a company we try and give back as much as we can to our communities, and our own staff had already identified the sensory garden at Heol Goffa as a worthwhile project which they wanted to do in their own free time. “The timing fitted in perfectly with the Next Steps project, and we are thrilled to be able to give the boys such a great project to do as part of the competition. “To their credit, every one of them has been excited to get involved and they all realise that the work they are carrying out for free th...

Carmarthenshire residents are being given a unique chance to compete for a job in the construction industry. Anyone aged 16 and over can enter for their chance to take part in Next Steps 2012 – a competition where someone will win a full-time paid apprenticeship. It is being run by Constructing Carmarthenshire Together – a partnership between Carmarthenshire County Council, Coleg Sir Gar and Carmarthenshire Construction Training Association Ltd – and Llanelli and Gwendraeth-based building firm Lloyd & Gravell Ltd. Six candidates will be chosen to compete in teams of two, battling it out for rewards and avoiding forfeits whilst trying to impress judges with their building skills. This year’s competition will be filmed, with elements of TV favourites The Apprentice, Big Brother and DIY SOS all thrown in. The competition will take place through July and August, with the lucky apprentice starting his or her placement with Lloyd & Gravell Ltd in September. Kevin Gravell, Director of...