The Tees Valley has a new champion modern apprentice to encourage youngsters to stick to their trades.

Christen Pears finds out why she has abandoned the catwalk for men and machines.

A FLICK of the hair transforms more than the spiky styling, it switches something over in the psyche of a model student and employee.

"I know it sounds vain, but this is my best side," says Claire Wilford as she poses for the camera. Minutes ago, she had been a student on a work placement at Darlington College of Technology, now she is a model again, exhibiting the catwalk persona of someone used to the lens.

She may only be 20, but Darlington-born and bred Claire has already forsaken a career in the cut throat world of modelling for the down to earth profession of engineering.

"It was my family who said I should be a model and I passed the audition and was trained for catwalk and photography," she recalls.

"I've still got my five year contract with an agency but I would rather study."

For a couple of years, she posed for newspaper fashion spreads, filmed a television advertisement, took part in hair and clothes modelling assignments and was involved in photo shoots.

"But I never saw myself as supermodel material and would rather work and get some qualifications," she says. "Modelling is such a short-lived career and isn't a nice industry to be in. It's quite bitchy and there's no room for promotion. It costs a lot of money to keep up your image and you have to be really lucky. You have also got to be prepared to move away from your family and I wasn't."

After leaving Branksome School with nine GCSEs and obtaining three A Levels, Claire decided to enrol at Darlington College of Technology as a Modern Apprentice in Administration.

She is now studying an NVQ Level 3 in Business Administration and her work placement is in the college's Advanced Manufacturing Centre.

"It's great, I get to learn about education, engineering and administration in one go," she says. "There's a lot of running around taking minutes and telephone messages, handling documents and letters and filing student records. I am also helping train someone at the moment who is doing the NVQ Level 2." It's a manly world and a far cry from the glamour of modelling.

"When I first started I was a bit worried about working with a load of male engineers but they are just nice, ordinary, down to earth people and I get on with everyone," says Claire. "They are really funny and we have a laugh. Some of the students knock on my window and shout - lads will be lads - but I think the whole experience has given me more confidence."

The feeling is mutual. The college's engineering and computing programme manager Steve Richardson says: "She is very keen, extremely helpful and has great interpersonal skills. She epitomises the spirit of what we are trying to do with modern apprentices."

This is why the college recommended her to the Learning and Skills Council and she was selected as a champion modern apprentice for the whole of the Tees Valley.

Claire's role now is to motivate other young people and as a designated champion modern apprentice, she attends special presentations designed to encourage them to gain qualifications and take up a trade.

"I just tell them to stick to their studies and not drop out because it does get easier as you progress through the system. I also urge them to collect plenty of evidence so they can get their NVQs and they seem to listen to me," she says.

"I plan to keep going and hope to take higher qualifications. I don't just want to stay in admin and would like to get into management. Perhaps one day I could become the college principal."

Until then, and as a champion modern apprentice, Claire will remain a role model for youngsters in the region.