[A] mechanical engineer from Sellafield Ltd has been named the region’s ‘Advanced Level Apprentice of the Year’.
Lydia Rowell from Frizington picked up the award at a ceremony in Liverpool, hosted by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS).
The 20-year-old works as a mechanical fitter at the nuclear site, having just completed a four year apprenticeship.
She will now go forward to compete in the national finals later in the year.
She said: “I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to do an apprenticeship.
“Being able to earn a salary while gaining valuable knowledge, experience and qualifications at the same time has been the ideal start to my career.
“I am really happy to win this award and will use this opportunity to keep promoting apprenticeships locally and nationally
“Being able to inspire young people is highly rewarding.”
Les Studholme, head of training for Sellafield Ltd said: “Lydia is a great ambassador for the company and for the value of apprenticeships.
“We’re extremely proud of our young trainees at Sellafield, striving to develop their skills and behaviours so that they can be the best that they can be.
“These awards demonstrate the huge opportunities offered to young people by the Sellafield mission, and the value we place on high quality training and development.
“Young people like Lydia will be driving forward the decommissioning programme for many years to come and helping Cumbria cement its reputation as a hub of nuclear skills and expertise.”
The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) awards recognise both employers and apprentices from across England, demonstrating how apprenticeships have made a real difference to their organisation and careers.
The Sellafield nuclear site is home to some of the most complex decommissioning challenges in the world.
With 500 apprentices on its books across 21 schemes – is widely known for its commitment to education and training.