THE MODERN Apprenticeship programme is proving its versatility by casting its net to occupations as diverse as sea-fishing!

Chris Triggs, aged 16, from West Kirby, is keeping up the family tradition of sea-fishing by following his father, Mike, into the trade.

Chris is the first to sign up for a Sea-Fishing Modern Apprenticeship with CEWTEC, the training council for Wirral.

While on his Modern Apprenticeship, Chris will be working for his father on the family's two vessels fishing the Dee Estuary and Liverpool Bay, as well as training towards NVQ awards.

Different to a traditional 'apprenticeship', Modern Apprenticeships are open to all motivated young people who want a challenging way to gain high level skills and qualifications while being paid a wage.

Chris hopes that his work skills, experience and qualifications gained will help him achieve his 'Skipper's Ticket'.

He said: "The Modern Apprenticeship programme works for me because not all of my time is spent in college. I can come home and get practical hands on experience of fishing, which I love.

"I found out about the programme and a college where I could learn the necessary specialist skills through CEWTEC and my old school, Hilbre High."

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.