Jewson has won an Employer of the Year award from Welsh apprenticeship training provider and youth support charity, Rathbone.

The awards were held to celebrate Rathbone’s 11 successful centres across Wales with the Jewson Aberdare branch claiming the accolade based on its commitment to helping young people succeed in work.

Jewson was selected as the winner after hundreds of nominations were received from across the entire breadth of Wales. The builders’ merchant has a longstanding relationship with Rathbone and remains committed to working with the charity to give young people the chance to learn valuable skills and experience to help gain long-term employment.

Kevin Whitmore, area director for Jewson, said: “We are absolutely delighted to win this award from Rathbone because we believe that supporting young people into employment is not just good for our business but the local economy as a whole.”

Jewson believes that investing in people is essential for future growth. The apprenticeship scheme has been developed to offer both academic and vocational training, enabling people with a variety of skill sets to excel and contribute towards the development of the company.

Rathbone delivers traineeships, apprenticeships and job growth opportunities across Wales to help support young people into further education, training or employment.

After completing a Rathbone employment programme and an apprenticeship with Jewson, Kieran Ashton, a Rathbone student, has been given a full time position. He said: “Jewson Aberdare is a good place to work and it has supported me above and beyond my expectations.”

Aberdare branch manager, Lloyd Carter, added: “Kieran has progressed incredibly well in his career at Jewson. He is a great example of how hard young people work when they are given the opportunity and he is a great asset to the team.”