A TECHNICIAN from the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) is making huge strides in impressing peers in her role as a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) pioneer.

With the skills she has learnt at the MOD base, Amy Lambden has won the prestigious National Apprenticeship Award in the southeast category regional final.

She said: “I am shocked that I won but really pleased. It was a tough process and I was up against some amazing apprentices, so I’m still getting used to it.”

This is just the latest in a string of accolades Miss Lambden has won. Last year she was named as one of the BBC’s ‘100 Women’ in 2016, for her role as a STEM pioneer and education work with young people in the community.

Miss Lambden is a graduate of the AWE Skills Academy and works in electronics and it is these skills that she learnt while carrying out her apprenticeship that has enabled her to claim the regional crown.

She added: “My apprenticeship has developed me immensely over the past four years. It’s definitely made me the person I am today. Promoting engineering and apprenticeships at schools and colleges is really enjoyable and I’ve even done a live national radio interview on the BBC.”

Miss Lambden will now go forward to the next stage of the competition, with the other regional and category winners and she will learn if she has made it through to the national final in January. If she reaches the final she will be one step closer to being named apprentice of the year for 2017.