A SOUTHAMPTON apprentice has won a national award.

City College student Danielle Thomas was praised for refusing to be "outgunned" despite being the only female in her boat building class.

An advanced apprentice at Oyster Yachts and former Hounsdown School pupil she was presented with the Apprentice of the Year accolade at the Association of Colleges student awards at a glittering ceremony.

The Student of the Year awards recognise and celebrate talented and high achieving students from across the UK.

Danielle, 20, a keen sailor was praised for being a role model for young women in the marine industry and hopes to go on to build high performance yachts.

A spokesperson for the college said: "Danielle played an important role in high profile projects outside of her apprenticeship which included building two docking RIBs for Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) and restoring a medieval cargo ship in the City of Southampton".

Danielle said: “It’s unbelievable to have won – I really wasn’t expecting it. It’s lovely to have my work recognised at a national level but it wouldn’t have been possible without the continued support from City College. They have really pushed and encouraged me.”

City College Southampton Principal, Sarah Stannard, added: “We are very proud of Danielle, who is an excellent apprentice and we are thrilled that her achievements have been nationally recognised. Danielle is a shining example of how City College works closely with local businesses to develop skilled young people with bright futures ahead of them.”

Norman Blick, Production Manager at Oyster Yachts said: “We are delighted for Danielle to have won this prestigious award and are pleased that her hard work and the skills she has gained during her apprenticeship have been recognised.”

David Hughes, Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges, said: “The Student of the Year awards showcase the very best of college students across the country. They celebrate exceptional students who stand out from the crowd. Danielle’s passion to succeed in the marine industry stood out in the application. She’s an excellent role model for others and we hope many more apprentices follow in her footsteps.”