A 20-YEAR-OLD apprentice at Bowker BMW Blackburn has been crowned an Apprentice of the Year at Burnley College.

The award offers a second reason for Lauren Canavan from Burnley to celebrate, after she secured a full-time role a with Bowker BMW in August.

At Burnley College, Lauren has also gained three distinctions in her BTEC National Diploma in Business. It is an impressive career turnaround for the former St Hilda’s pupil.

Lauren said: “Just 18 months ago, I was unhappy doing a business degree and things looked a bit bleak for me. I made a big decision to leave university. I just tried to be honest with myself that I wasn’t happy. The way things have worked out since couldn’t be better.

“I enrolled in a business apprenticeship at Burnley College. Last year I studied one day a week at college and worked four days a week at Bowker BMW. I’ve been involved with so many things, helping out with various corporate and administration roles. “I’m proud to win the award. The apprenticeship programme is all about getting as many people as possible into full time employment. And for me it couldn’t have worked out better.”

In March Bowker BMW’s work experience and apprentice programme recruited its 100th employee.

The milestone represented the total number of apprentices and work experience staff who have worked at both the Blackburn dealership on Trident Park, and the original dealership which opened in Accrington in 1980.