A FORMER Sellafield apprentice has been hand-picked to front a national apprenticeship campaign.

Deanna Pearson, 22, from Cockermouth, was chosen from more than 200 other apprentices to take part in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ ‘Get in go far’ campaign.

This aims to show that vocational training can be an exciting alternative to further education. 

From billboards up and down the country, to a national TV advert, Miss Pearson, now a full-time health physic monitor at Sellafield Ltd, is playing a leading role alongside eight trainees from other major apprentice employers such as JCB and Premier Inn.

The campaign, launched this week, aims to tell the story of young people in training, showcasing the experience they have entering the world of work. 

Miss Pearson said: “I was shocked when I was first asked to take part.

“I never expected to be chosen as the face of a government campaign, but I’m really pleased that I’ve been given this opportunity to represent the high calibre of young people we have  in Cumbria and at Sellafield.

A film crew spent time with her at home and at work, following the story of how she juggled her apprenticeship with being a young mum.

She added: “The usual route into a career after school is university.

"A lot of my teachers [at Cockermouth School] were pushing me to do this but I knew it wasn’t feasible for me as I’ve got a little girl. 

“I needed to earn money to support my daughter, but I didn’t want to stop learning and getting qualifications so it made sense for me to follow the apprenticeship route.

“There are many different career routes that young people can choose now, it can be quite overwhelming.

“This campaign – which is giving thousands of young people role models who they can relate to and look up to – will help more young people understand and consider an apprenticeship.” 

For more about ‘Get in Go Far’, go to www.getingofar.gov.uk or use the hashtag #GetInGoFar to join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.