A GROUP of hardworking apprentices narrowly missed out on a top three position in the search for the official apprentice team of the year.

Nine apprentices from South Worcestershire College competed against seven other teams over the course of six months in he Brathay Apprentice Challenge, which tests non-technical work skills and the personal attributes.

The finalists were selected from more than 100 teams and the college's team took part in the final stage at Brathay Trust’s headquarters at Lake Windermere, losing out to winners PepsiCo, second place QinetiQ and joint third place e2v Technologies and British Airways.

The two-day long adventure finale tested the teams’ problem solving and physical abilities, culminating in a whaler boat race, across Lake Windermere which pushed the teams’ strength and teamwork to the limit.

Team member, Beth Holloway, said: “Just getting to the final and beating off more than 100 other teams was an achievement and we’re proud to have represented our company in the finals.

"The challenge was really tough and the other teams really pushed us to our limits. We’re so proud of how far we have come and the experiences we have gained not just at the finals but throughout the whole six months.”

Viv Gillespie, principal of South Worcestershire College, said: “Apprenticeships are a vital part of our organisation and to see our apprentices perform so well in the apprentice team of the year competition makes us all very proud.

"Our team was made up of business administration apprentices and accountancy apprentices trained by our College and employed by local employers. This is a huge achievement for both our organisation, their employers and the individual apprentices.”

The college's apprentices also raised more than £1,700 for the Teenage Cancer Trust.