A FEMALE student has beaten all the males on her course by winning an apprenticeship with a leading North- East engineering firm.

Samantha Johnson, 18, had an interview for her apprenticeship while studying for a Level 2 qualification in performing engineering operations at Derwentside College.

Samantha said: “I’m the only female in an engineering class of 20 and I’ve managed to beat off stiff competition to secure an apprenticeship position with Pinnacle Re- Tec in Consett.

“Engineering is a very male-dominated industry so I was thrilled to learn I’d been offered the apprenticeship based on my skills. I started an advanced apprenticeship in mechanical manufacturing engineering at the beginning of July and I’m really enjoying gaining real-life work experience while honing my skills.

Simon Howard, operations manager from Pinnacle Re- Tec, said: “To ensure our standing in the global market place, we look to select our employees from the local community, tapping into a pool of engineering talent supported by Derwentside College. In the interview Samantha demonstrated a passion and genuine talent for engineering. Her skills are fantastic and made her a cut above the rest. We were impressed with her CV and how thoroughly prepared she was for the interview. Samantha is a great asset to Derwentside College and the Pinnacle Re-Tec team and I’m confident she has a promising future ahead of her.”

Susan Errington, director of business development at Derwentside College, added: “Samantha is a fantastic ambassador for the College and is committed in her efforts to promoting engineering as a career for young women.

Women have traditionally been under-represented in the field of engineering, but with talented students like Samantha, we can work towards encouraging more women to think of engineering as a rewarding career, helping to strike a gender balance in the industry.”

As of February this year, only seven per cent of the UK engineering workforce were female and just 3.4 per cent of engineering and manufacturing apprentices were female.

Employed alongside Samantha, Pinnacle Re-Tec have also welcomed a second apprentice from Derwentside College, Adam Panting, after presenting himself superbly at interview.