I should have done it straight from school rather than muck around for two years

Helen Beaumont

It was her childhood ambition, but she has done it in spite of her schooling.

"I hated school. I was hardly ever there," she said.

But it was not done without training after she left school - and she wishes now that she had worked harder, earlier.

"I didn't push myself hard enough at school which is what I should have done, which is why I'm 23 now and I've just completed my college.

"I should have done it straight from school rather than muck around for two years not knowing what I wanted to do," she said.

She is far from alone - about 47,000 16 year olds in England and Wales drop out of education and training every year.

But at the age of 19 Helen decided to have another go at training, opting for a modern apprenticeship.

It is a system not without its problems - only about one third of those who embark on modern apprenticeships finish the courses, and according to the government's Skills Task Force some students do not even realise they are doing them.

But Helen's case shows they can work - if the motivation is right.

Careers advice

After a less than successful year with one firm she joined Hertfordshire-based Aryliam Motorsport who backed her through NVQ levels 2 and 3 in vehicle mechanical and electronic systems maintenance and repair and a BTEC national certificate in engineering.

I need someone who has got the will to work - not necessarily the skills but the will to work

Employer Clive Denham

She thinks school careers advisers should pay more attention to what students say they want.

"People don't take your ambitions seriously, but they should listen to you and try to help you as much as they can," she said.

The Aryliam team owner, Clive Denham, said the problem for employers was that either people left school because they were "bucking authority" or they were "in the learning groove" and did not want to do any hands-on learning.

"I need someone who has got the will to work - not necessarily the skills but the will to work, and by the time they get to the end of their standard schooling that's almost beaten out of them - they've lost that energy and drive," he said.

His company, being small, required everyone to pull their weight and Helen rose to the challenge.

"She's a very good mechanic now. A very good employee."

The Education Secretary, David Blunkett, is spending �3m on an advertising campaign to try to persuade others that they can do the same.

On the day when the Skills Task Force detailed the UK's chronic skills shortage, Mr Blunkett is pushing a "don't quit now" message at 16 year olds who are tempted to end their education.

He revealed that new figures due out on Thursday would show that the proportion of 16 year olds staying in education or training rose in 1999, after four years of decline.

"Thousands of young people will get their GCSE results in the summer. Many will do very well. Some will do less well, and as a result will consider dropping out of learning altogether," he said.

Poor completion rate

About 6% of 16 year olds are not in education or training in England and Wales - not a huge proportion, but the Department for Education is determined to get them learning for their own sakes and the good of the economy.

We learned of apprentices that didn't even know they were apprentices - they were 'placed' by training providers and companies

Margaret Murray, CBI

Part of the government's response to the damning task force report is to overhaul modern apprenticeships - only about a third of which are ever completed.

One of the task force members, Margaret Murray of the Confederation of British Industry, said a survey of its members had shown that young people often left the company they were doing their apprenticeship with, or did not want to complete the course.

"What this highlighted for us is the gap in careers information and guidance - the extent to which young people prepared, and know what they are taking on when they leave school," she told The Learning Curve on BBC Radio 4.

"We learned of apprentices that didn't even know they were apprentices - they were 'placed' by training providers and companies and they didn't actually know they were on the scheme."

McLaren in mind

"It is vital therefore that we try to persuade young people not to quit learning after leaving school," Mr Blunkett said.

"Even if they have few or no qualifications, we can offer a route for each young person to carry on learning and building up their skills."

Helen Beaumont has her route mapped out: she has just been working at the Nurburg 24 hours race as a freelance mechanic, and has her mind set on the top McLaren position.

"My ambition may seem a bit far-fetched - I want to be in Formula One, I want Ron Dennis's job - but that's what I'm aiming for.

"I feel that if you put your mind to it and stick at college, and you stick at what you want to do, then you can achieve it," she said.

"Opportunities don't appear, you have to make them yourself. You've just got to live by that rule."