A TEENAGER has bought himself a BMW after working his way up the career ladder as an apprentice.

Daniel Pengelly studied mechanics for three years at Basingstoke College of Technology (BCoT) after leaving school before finding an apprenticeship with a local company.

The 19-year-old now works for Bakers Recovery, in Oakley, where he is studying for a level 3 automotive apprenticeship.

He said: “It’s perfect. They have put me through my HGV vehicle licence and the apprenticeship and I will go onto get an MOT testing certificate. They have invested in me which is excellent, they are a brilliant company to work for, it’s a family-run business.”

Daniel originally looked into agricultural engineering at Sparsholt College, but said it did not work out so he went to BCoT, which turned out for the best.

He now earns a proper salary and said he has progressed further than many of his friends of the same age, even earning enough to buy his own BMW outright.

He lives onsite at Bakers in rented accommodation and is visited at his place of work by an assessor every two weeks, who signs off his apprenticeship work.

Offering advice to others considering taking an apprenticeship, he said: “First of all stick out the academic learning and get the qualifications and then look for an apprenticeship. Some places will pay an apprenticeship wage but in the long run you get a good qualification out of it.

“A lot of people ask how I got into it and it was just sticking it out.”