AN apprenticeship is improving training for health and social care students across County Durham.

A trainee nurse on the two-year initiative run by Durham County Council and funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has been named cadet of the year.

The nurse, Rachel Elstob, 19, from Hunwick, near Bishop Auckland, was praised for her enthusiasm and team spirit by award judges for the Primary Care College.

She works with five other cadets for the Durham Dales Primary Care Trust in doctors' surgeries, health centres and community hospitals across Wear Valley and Teesdale.

Experienced mentors support them through a variety of work placements where they gain experience and insight into different aspects of care.

Rachel's ambition is to qualify as a midwife.

She said: "The mix of practical work and vocation- specific training I am getting on the apprenticeship is helping me to develop my career and work towards my goals."

Tom Crompton, executive director for LSC County Durham, said: "One of the ways in which post-16 education is moving forward is through closer interaction with the individual sectors, aimed at ensuring that the training provided is as relevant as possible to the needs of employers.

"The fact that the PCTs are putting their own staff through these apprenticeships and that Rachel has been named Cadet Nurse of the Year shows the sector values the training and those who are coming through it."