A civil engineering firm has thrown its support behind those that serve the nation by signing the armed forces covenant.
Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK has signed the armed forces covenant, which is a vow to those who proudly protected the country with honour, courage, and commitment.
It is a pledge that those who serve or have served in the armed forces, and their families, should be treated with fairness and respect in the communities, economy, and society they served with their lives.
A thrilled Tony Murphy declared that the army “made me who I am” after Jones Bros joined the 100-strong contingent of North Wales-based companies by signing the promise.
Tony spent more than 22 years in the army between 1990 and 2012 and was one of the driving forces behind the company’s desire to sign the covenant.
Now head of HR and business management systems at Jones Bros, Tony said: “Myself and John (Dielhof, managing director) spoke about Jones Bros signing the covenant as I felt it was time for a little payback.
“I’ve been out of the army for 10 years now and I’ve only looked forward, so giving something back was a priority for me as the armed forces made me who I am.
“Being in the armed forces has given me confidence, technical skills, and management abilities.
“You also learn how to adapt and overcome difficulties. There’s nothing like being in Bosnia and Kosovo in a multinational work environment with new and extremely technical communications equipment you may not have operated before that you need to learn how to use before instructing others in a very short timeframe.”
Tony has been at Jones Bros for more than five years, and after quickly settling into life at the Ruthin-headquartered company, he believes those leaving the armed forces are in a strong position to thrive on the outside.
He said: “There are plenty of transferrable qualities for those looking into what is next after leaving the armed forces.
“At Jones Bros we send people to work all over the country and away from home, which is what life in the armed forces is like, but often in adverse weather!
“Life in the armed forces teaches you about confidence, discipline, time management, and listening to and delivering clear instructions to others, as well as providing professional advice and guidance to the chain of command and colleagues to get the job done.
“The army teaches you about how to make your voice heard with clear lines of communication, very often in extreme pressure situations.
“It also teaches you to have pride in yourself and how to influence others to operate to the best of their ability in any environment or situation.”
Huw Jones MBE, chairman of Jones Bros, added: “It is an honour to sign the armed forces covenant on behalf of the company.
“We are proud to have a number of people who have worked for the armed forces in our ranks and signing the covenant will only help strengthen our relationship with those who have served our country.”
Tony Fish, the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) regional employer engagement director for the Reserve Forces and Cadets Association for Wales, is very happy that Jones Bros has signed the covenant.
He said: “We’ve been in discussions with Jones Bros for a little while and it’s wonderful to welcome them on board.
“A big part of the MOD’s remit is to create a network of employers who are supportive of having veterans and service leavers working in their business, and Jones Bros certainly ticks that box.
“Jones Bros is a growing, family-run business and I can only thank them for signing the covenant and offering its support.”
Established in the 1950s, Jones Bros owns one of the largest plant fleets in the UK and employs approximately 500 people.
The company is currently working on contracts in various sectors including highways, flood and marine defence, waste management and renewable energy around the UK.
The company runs an award-winning apprenticeship scheme, which has produced nearly 50 per cent of its current workforce, with many of its senior managers having started out as apprentices or in a trainee role. It has recruited more than 100 apprentices during the past three years.
