SIX Cockermouth School students are delighted to have secured Dream Placements following a rigorous selection procedure.

Two hundred students aged 16 to 18 from across Cumbria originally applied to take part in the scheme run by the Centre for Leadership Performance. Almost 50 gained the opportunity to spend their February half term holiday working alongside various successful county businesses.

The following Cockermouth School pupils were chosen: Sophie Ritson, who will work with the University of Cumbria; Eve Howland (Story Homes); Nikki Hutchman (Mott MacDonald); Georgina Mills (GlaxoSmithKline); Emily Salkeld (Cyclife) and Gabriel Hodgkins-Webb (Story Homes).

Emily, Year 13, said: "I applied to dream placement to give me real-life experience of the role that I wish to do in the future - project management.

"I will be focusing on skills around that role for the majority of the week, but dipping into other sections of the business to get a taste of what other opportunities are out there."

Nikki Hutchman, Year 12, said: "I am hoping to become a civil engineer in the future so I applied for Dream Placement to confirm that engineering is the career for me. I think the experience I will gain from this placement will be very valuable for making decisions about the future and applying to university."

Head teacher Rob Petrie said: "Dream Placement is an incredible opportunity for our students; from the application process through to their work placement, they will gain valuable skills, knowledge and contacts that can be utilised in the future.

"I am delighted that six of our students have been successful in this venture and congratulate them on their forward-thinking approach to their future careers.”