AN arts apprentice has been showing off his designs in high circles after being invited to No 10.
Darlington College Level 3 diploma art and design student Brad Layton met Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne and Skills and Enterprise Minister Matthew Hancock during a trip to Downing Street.
The 20-year-old, of Barnard Castle, works for pharmaceutical company GSK designing the packaging for its drugs.
He was selected as an outstanding apprentice to represent GSK, which has been leading the apprenticeship reforms for the science industry in a pilot known as the Trailblazer scheme.
He accompanied GSK Apprenticeship Programme Lead Stephen Stewart to a special reception where he exhibited his work.
His portfolio showed his progression so far from computer aided design to artwork training, along with 3D artwork packs, which he assembled and exhibited to those at the function.
Brad, who works in GSK’s packaging artwork shared service centre, said: “It was an excellent day, a great experience and a fantastic opportunity.
“I loved drawing as a child and have always been creative. I am really into type and typography and am using this in my final major project, which is an album cover for my friend’s psychedelic Indie rock band.
“I’m really enjoying the apprenticeship, which I was very lucky to get. It is great being a student at Darlington College, but then working for such a renowned global organisation as GSK gives me the best of all worlds.”
Darlington College tutor Pippa Eeles added: “Being invited to such a prestigious event at No 10 reflects incredibly well on Brad, the college and GSK.
“He is very motivated in his studies and I am confident he will do very well in his design career.”
