KATIE Agnew from Hatherleigh did not know in what direction to turn when she left school — but thanks to a Devon training agency the 19-year-old has found her vocation working at the Okehampton Youth Hostel.

Katie joined the youth hostel as a trainee in 1998 and has developed into a 'competent, confident and valued member of the team'.

She has completed a NVQ level two in Administration and secured the position of receptionist/admin assistant.

Katie is in the 80 per cent of Devon Training for Skills clients who are successful in getting employment.

The Exeter-based service, which Katie learnt about through Okehampton College, helps people aged 16 to 63 with training, work placements and employment opportunities.

Katie did a range of work placements in different occupations before settling at the Okehampton Youth Hostel which she found with the agency's help on the internet.

'I did not know it even existed,' she said. 'It so happened that they were looking to take on a trainee.'

The job is not a typical office job and Katie gets involved in organising activities for the many groups of people who stay at the hostel. She has even managed to combine her love of dance by taking the reigns of a new workshop.

Devon Training for Skills has been in existence for more than ten years and operates countywide, helping around 600 people at any one time.

Training manager Phil Badcock said the agency ran training schemes to really meet the needs of every client group from young people leaving school without a job to go to, to people in employment who wanted to improve their skills and unemployed people wanting to re-train.

Katie added: 'When I left school I really had no idea what to do and I would not be here without the help from Devon Training for Skills.

'The team I work with at the youth hostel are brilliant and it is a really great working environment.

'One of the good things about a scheme like this is that you get a little bit of money whilst you are training which gives you the motivation to go forward.'

Youth hostel manager John Elson said small companies did not have training programmes so agencies like Devon Training for Skills were very useful for providing the training and technology back-up.

'Katie has now completed her NVQ and has developed tremendously — from someone who was nervous answering the phone to a competent and valued member of the team,' he said.

'Because we are growing as a business we are thinking of taking on another trainee. Once you have had one success it makes you think the system really does work.'

The local contact for Devon Training for Skills is Caroline Stokes on 01837 82174.