Teen’s summer job turns into fast-track rise to site manager at booming garden rooms firm

A teenager’s summer job has turned into a senior role at a fast-growing company.

Motorbike racing enthusiast Caleb Williams, now 25, has rocketed from school leaver to site manager at Rubicon Garden Rooms in Penyffordd on the North Wales/Cheshire border after getting his first taste of work aged 16.

Caleb, from Ewloe, says he never imagined a short summer job would lead to a fast-track career and a key role in the growing business.

Now the firm’s first-ever apprentice, Caleb is leading the way as Rubicon expands – with seven more apprentices following in his footsteps.

The company has already invested £500,000 to create a new showroom display centre at its base and in the last 12 months has taken on four more staff, taking its headcount up to 20 workers.

With turnover now more than £3 million, bosses are looking to further develop their company base with the aim of making it the largest garden rooms and annexe display in the region.

Caleb was pleased to play a part in the continuing growth of the company, having joined the firm very soon after leaving Hawarden High School, and then completing an apprenticeship at Coleg Cambria Deeside in Connah’s Quay.

He said: “I started my two-year apprenticeship with Rubicon Garden Rooms eight years ago pretty much straight from school when I was 16.

“I did a carpentry and joinery apprenticeship at college, two days a week there and then three days a week working on site with the Rubicon team.

“I initially got work experience for a couple of weeks with Rubicon in the summer I left school and they asked me if I wanted an apprenticeship with them.

“I passed 13 GCSEs but I didn’t really want to hang around education that much, I wanted to get a job and get working.

“After I completed my apprenticeship I became a full-time joiner with Rubicon and a few years later I was offered a site manager position.

“I lead a team of up to six guys normally. The site managers usually go off to start the new project, deal with the customers, organise the team, organise the materials – there’s a fair bit of responsibility.

“I never thought when I was 16 and doing that summer work experience that it would lead to a career, but I really liked it, and still like it.”

When he is not leading a team at Rubicon, Caleb can be found competing for the lead around motorbike racing circuits.

He said: “My big hobby is racing motorbikes, and I do that around the country on a Triumph Daytona 765, and I have a couple of road bikes as well.

“It’s a bit of a passion and I just do it for fun.”

Rubicon Garden Rooms John Lyon founder and managing director said the staff who had gone through apprenticeships were playing a key role in the success of the company.

John said: “We have got big plans for the future – we are developing our display and manufacturing site here in Penyffordd, just five miles from Chester – and growing the company.

“When it is all done it will be the biggest display in the North West for premium r garden rooms and annexes.

“To cope with our increasing order book we have taken on four new staff in the last 12 months and turnover is topping £3 million now.

“The staff that we have are great lads and Caleb was our first ever apprentice. He has been promoted and has grown with the business.

“He is one of our site managers in charge of the build on site, constructing our garden rooms to our quality and standard and technical standards that we are looking for, and that our customers demand.

“I am absolutely delighted with his career growth, it is a credit to Caleb and also a credit I think to the way we have trained him.”

Following in Caleb’s footsteps is Dewi Jones, 18, from Ewloe, the latest apprentice taken on by Rubicon Garden Rooms.

He is in his second year of a carpentry and joinery apprenticeship at Coleg Cambria Deeside, having joined Rubicon about 18 months ago.

Dewi, who also went to Hawarden High School, said he chose to do an apprenticeship because he wanted to attain a qualification while working.

He said: “I am enjoying it, learning a lot of new things and Rubicon are putting me on different things that I haven’t done.”

Dewi also has a sporting hobby away from his work at Rubicon – having started amateur boxing.
Colleague Luke Griffin is another Rubicon Garden Rooms staff member who went through an apprenticeship and is now developing a rewarding career.

Luke, from Cefn-y-Bedd in Flintshire who attended Castell Alun High School in Hope, completed a site joinery apprenticeship at Coleg Cambria Deeside in 2021

The 23-year-old joiner and keen footballer said: “The main benefit of the apprenticeship with Rubicon is that you’re getting paid to learn.

“You’re gaining valuable experience because you’re on site and you use what you learn at college on the site.

“The job is good, I work with a good bunch of lads and I enjoy the work, especially the finishing side and doing all the neat bits.”

John Lyon added: “Luke Griffin has now completed his apprenticeship and again he has grown with the business.

“He is getting more experience as time goes on and is becoming an important member of the team.

“Dewi Jones is going through his apprenticeship and into his second year.

“He is doing well and showing a lot of promise and is a really enthusiastic lad and eager to learn and put a shift in.

“It all reminds me of my time as an apprentice with British Aerospace which was the best thing that ever happened to me so I’m delighted the team here are having an equally positive experience.”