A Barrow youth footballer is combining her on-field training with training to become an engineer as she kicks off her career with an apprenticeship.

Aimee Everett, capped by England at under-17 level, has started work at Spirit Energy’s Barrow Gas Terminals as she enters her second year of a four-year apprenticeship with the oil and gas company.

The 17-year-old, who also plays for Liverpool’s under-21 team, said the combination of learning on the job and in the classroom was the perfect way for her to further her ambitions both as an electrical engineer and as a footballer.

The former St Bernard’s High School pupil goes to college one day a week and works at the terminals four days a week.

Adding in her football duties, it makes for a packed schedule.

She said: “I train with Liverpool two to three times per week and play on Sundays, but Spirit Energy has an Elite Athletes programme, which provides that flexibility to pursue your sport at the same time as working at site.

“It means that for international fixtures, work have been very supportive – although at times it has meant taking my college work with me to away games too, so I can keep up!”

The decision to pursue an apprenticeship rather than a university degree was an easy one, Aimee said.

She added: “I did engineering at school and knew from around 12 years old that was what I wanted to do. Both of my older brothers went into engineering, so I had seen what they were learning and working on and knew I would enjoy that too.”

Although combining studies, on-the-job training and on-the-field training has been a challenge, Aimee said she was committed to furthering both career options as she enters the second half of her apprenticeship programme.