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...

There’s just a few days left for people to secure their chance of winning a construction apprenticeship. The clock is ticking towards the June 19th deadline for entries to this year’s Next Steps – the annual competition where anyone living in Carmarthenshire, aged 16+, has the chance of securing an apprenticeship with local building firms Lloyd & Gravell Ltd and TRJ Ltd . It is open to men and women, there is no upper age limit, and it does not matter what previous experience entrants have. Next Steps is run by Constructing Carmarthenshire Together - a partnership of Carmarthenshire County Council, Coleg Sir Gâr , and Carmarthenshire Construction Training Association Ltd . Now in its fifth year, the competition has already changed the lives of countless local people – including people who have gone on to set up their own business and win national skills competitions, as well as children and adults with severe disabilities who have benefitted from community projects built by th...

There’s just over a fortnight left for people to secure their chance of winning a construction apprenticeship. The clock is ticking towards the June 19th deadline for entries to this year’s Next Steps – the annual competition where anyone living in Carmarthenshire, aged 16+, has the chance of securing an apprenticeship with local building firms Lloyd & Gravell Ltd and TRJ Ltd . It is open to men and women, there is no upper age limit, and it does not matter what previous experience entrants have. Next Steps is run by Constructing Carmarthenshire Together - a partnership of Carmarthenshire County Council, Coleg Sir Gâr , and Carmarthenshire Construction Training Association Ltd . Now in its fifth year, the competition has already changed the lives of countless local people – including people who have gone on to set up their own business and win national skills competitions, as well as children and adults with severe disabilities who have benefitted from community projects built...

The number of construction apprenticeships provided by Carmarthenshire’s award-winning Next Steps programme this year has not just doubled – it’s quadrupled! An unexpected twist rounded off what has been another successful competition. Ammanford’s TRJ Ltd joined the scheme for the first time this year, providing an extra apprenticeship placement as part of the process. But during the winner’s ceremony, held at Llanelli’s Ffwrnes Theatre , the two companies announced that - such was the calibre of this year’s candidates – that they wanted to take two apprentices each. Dewey Clarke from Llanelli and Rhodri Evans from Pontyates will now begin apprenticeships with Lloyd and Gravell Ltd , and Luke Allen from Llanelli and Scott Williams from Ammanford will work with TRJ Ltd. There were two runners up – Jarred Fairhurst from Llandybie who has now secured a place on a diploma plastering course, and Josh McCarthy from Llwynhendy who has gained a place on a full-time carpentry course, both w...

Thought you’d missed your chance to enter Next Steps 2014? Well, you’re in luck, as we’ve just extended the deadline to give you a few extra days to get your application forms in! Anyone interested in competing for a chance to win a secure two-year apprenticeship with Lloyd and Gravell Ltd or TRJ Ltd as part of this exciting annual scheme, has now got until 5pm on Friday June 20, to submit their application. Shortlisting for interviews takes place next week. “We wanted to give more people the chance to get their entries in,” said Kevin Gravell, Director of Lloyd and Gravell Ltd. “This is a great opportunity for someone, an opportunity that could literally change their lives. We’re very much looking forward to going through the applications and shortlisting for the interviews.” Owain Jones, of TRJ Ltd, said: “We are very proud to be on board with Next Steps this year, and we’re pleased to be able to extend our deadline for an extra couple of days. It’ll be too late after Friday,...

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...

A Trimsaran man has won a two-year construction apprenticeship following an innovative competition to promote the profile of apprenticeships in Carmarthenshire. Jamie Owens was crowned winner of Next Steps 2011 at a winner’s ceremony in Llanelli’s Parc Y Scarlets. He beat off competition from five other candidates to claim the prize – a paid apprenticeship with Llanelli and Gwendraeth based construction firm Lloyd & Gravell Ltd. Next Steps has run in Carmarthenshire for the second time, as a partnership between Lloyd & Gravell, Carmarthenshire County Council’s Property Services division, Coleg Sir Gar and Carmarthenshire Construction Training Association (CCTAL). On taking the title, the 20-year-old rugby player said: “I still can’t quite believe it – this is a fantastic start towards building a future for myself and I'm really looking forward to starting work with Lloyd & Gravell. “The competition was a great experience - everyone on it was awesome and really l...

The six candidates who will battle it out to win a full-time paid construction apprenticeship with a Carmarthenshire building firm will be unveiled on Monday (July 11). The lucky ones chosen to take part in the Next Steps 2011 competition will have their first chance to show their skills at a construction event being held at Trimsaran’s Ffos Las racecourse. They are all in the running to win the two-year apprenticeship being offered by Lloyd and Gravell Ltd, supported by Carmarthenshire County Council’s Property Services department, Coleg Sir Gar and Carmarthenshire Construction and Training Association Ltd (CCTAL). The lucky six are:- • Robert Goodman, aged 16, from Cynnwyl Elfed, Carmarthen • Jamie Owens, aged 20, from Trimsaran • Nathan Jenkins, aged 18, from Llanelli • Darren Thomas, aged 16, from Trimsaran • Gareth John, aged 24, from Caebryn, Ammanford • Eric Meighan, aged 31, from Ammanford They were chosen from 10 selected to take part in a two-week college course which gave th...

The deadline for an exciting competition giving Carmarthenshire residents the chance to win a paid apprenticeship with a local building firm has been extended. Due to a high number of enquiries, coupled with the Bank Holiday, project leaders have decided to give people a few extra days to get their application forms in. Jobseekers have now got until 5pm on Monday, June 6 to apply for the competition, which is open to men and women aged 16 or over, living in Carmarthenshire. Next Steps is being run in partnership by Lloyd and Gravell, Carmarthenshire County Council’s Property Services division, Coleg Sir Gar and Carmarthenshire Construction and Training Association Ltd (CCTAL). It gives six people the chance to compete for a paid construction apprenticeship with building firm Lloyd & Gravell, which has bases in Llanelli and Ponthenri. Shortlisting and interviews will take place in June, and the competition will get underway in July. Candidates will be put through six weeks of on-sit...

Jobseekers have got just days left to enter an innovative competition which could land them a paid job in the construction industry. The deadline for this year’s Next Steps competition is up on Tuesday, May 31st. The competition – which is open to men and women – gives people the chance to win a two-year minimum paid construction apprenticeship with Llanelli-based building company Lloyd and Gravell Ltd. Next Steps is being run in partnership by Lloyd and Gravell, Carmarthenshire County Council’s Property Services division, Coleg Sir Gar and Carmarthenshire Construction and Training Association Ltd (CCTAL). Anyone aged 16 or over and living in Carmarthenshire can enter. Those shortlisted will be invited for interview in June, and those who make it through the next stage will be put through six weeks of on-site construction training with skilled tradesmen during July and August. They will learn basic skills in trades including bricklaying, carpentry and plastering, and will take part in ...

As Lord Alan Sugar launches his popular TV show The Apprentice, people living in Carmarthenshire are being reminded of our very own search to find a new apprentice. The deadline is looming for those who want to be in the running to land a two-year minimum paid construction apprenticeship with Llanelli-based building company Lloyd and Gravell Ltd. Next Steps is being run in partnership by Lloyd and Gravell, the council’s Property Services division, Coleg Sir Gar and Carmarthenshire Construction and Training Association Ltd (CCTAL). The competition is open to men and women, aged 16 or over and living in Carmarthenshire. Candidates will be put through six weeks of on-site construction training and will be set challenges with rewards and forfeits to test their ability to learn new skills. A winner will be announced at a prestigious ceremony at Parc Y Scarlets in August, and they will start their first day ‘on the job’ just days later. The apprenticeship is full-time and paid for a minimum ...

The winner of an exciting competition about to get underway in Carmarthenshire will land a two-year minimum paid construction apprenticeship. The council’s Property Services division is launching its second Next Steps competition in association with Llanelli-based building company Lloyd and Gravell, and partners Coleg Sir Gar and Carmarthenshire Construction and Training Association Ltd (CCTAL). The winner will land a paid apprenticeship with Lloyd and Gravell Ltd, with on-site and college-based training in a building trade of their choice, giving them a unique chance to start a new career in construction. Applications for the competition will close at the end of May, and interviews are planned in June. Successfully shortlisted candidates will take part in six-weeks of on-site training with skilled tradesmen working on council houses as part of the Carmarthenshire Homes Standard during July and August. They will learn basic skills in trades including bricklaying, carpentry and plasteri...