A YOUNG apprentice who built a racing car in his shed has made his hobby into a career thanks to the Learning and Skills Council.

Henry Nickless has high hopes of mounting a serious championship challenge following a successful debut season last year.

The 25-year-old spent two years designing and making the Chiron car, which competes in National Supersports races around the country.

The backing of his major sponsors, the Learning and Skills Council, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, will allow him to enter the Chiron in events held at Thruxton, in Hampshire, and Donington, in Leicestershire.

Henry, from Lower Broadheath, near Worcester, recently gave up a full-time job to concentrate on his racing ambitions. He was put on track for his new career when he undertook a Modern Apprenticeship, managed by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC).

He spent four years studying at Worcester Technical College for his Modern Apprenticeship in Engineering, while working at Pershore's Floserve, which makes control valves.

The skills he built up accelerated what started as a pet project to build a racing car into something more serious.

The car competed for the first time last year and, despite a few early setbacks due to gearbox problems, improved to the extent that it won three of its last four races.

"We want to win the championship this year because we felt it should have been ours last year," said Henry.

"But with the gearbox problems, it wasn't to be. The new gearbox is very different."

The car's potential means there has been no shortage of willing drivers and this season it is Steven Shanly in the hot seat.

At the last race, in Rockingham, Northamptonshire, on Saturday, April 12, and Sunday, April 13, the Chiron was placed first and second in its two races.

"As far as speed goes, we're not far off Formula 3 pace," said Henry, who has "always been mechanical".

Vanessa Winters, marketing and communications manager with the LSC, said Henry's outstanding achievements showed just how far someone could go with a Modern Apprenticeship.

"We are delighted that the Chiron car will be racing under the banner of Modern Apprenticeships again this season and would like to wish Henry and team Chiron all the best," she said.

for the 2003 season."