Students win chance to try out dream jobs

AN 18-year-old from Barnstaple has been given a helping hand to get his dream career off the ground after winning a bursary from the Connexions service. Dom Russell is one of 12 young people from Devon and Cornwall to have been awarded the Skills Challeng

AN 18-year-old from Barnstaple has been given a helping hand to get his dream career off the ground after winning a bursary from the Connexions service.

Dom Russell is one of 12 young people from Devon and Cornwall to have been awarded the Skills Challenge prize in an annual competition to help young people broaden their horizons and learn from new experiences they might otherwise not have access to.

Dom, who goes to Petroc College, aims to have a career as a snowboard instructor and will be working at Chill Factore in Manchester, the UK's longest, and the world's widest, real snow indoor ski slope.

"I've been snowboarding several times and really want to become an instructor and teach the sport in different countries," said Dom.

"To shadow instructors at the national training centre for the GB ski and snowboarding winter Olympic team will give me an invaluable experience."

Two students from Broomhayes School, 17-year-old Charlotte Thomas and 18-year-old Mark Hudson, who both want to work with animals will be learning about animal care at The Big Sheep.

The Skills Challenge bursary of up to �500 can be used to support travel and costs of local, national and international placements. Entrants simply have to submit a business and career plan showing the judges how they plan to use their bursary to explore and test their career idea.

For further information on any issue, contact Connexions on 0800 97 55 111 or log on to www.connexions-cd.org.uk