Patrick cameron praises the young apprentice of the year

Ellie Quirke, from City of Bristol College, has been named the Habia Young Apprentice (YA) of the Year 2009 at an awards ceremony held at Hammersmith College.

Ellie, along with joint runners-up Vanessa Johnson Harvey of Reflections Training Academy, Birmingham, and Chelsea Watson of Rochdale Borough Partnership, were presented with their trophies by Patrick Cameron.

The trio, along with the other nine finalists of the Habia Young Apprentice of the Year competition, supported by L'Oréal Professionnel and Wahl, also received a funky Roo Salons hair pouch.

All 12 finalists had demonstrated their hairdressing skills by submitting images of a long hair look on a head block, along with a mood board and statement describing the look they have created and their inspiration.

Their efforts were judged by a panel that included Patrick Cameron, Fran Cox of L'Oréal Professionnel, Jane Goldsbro, Director of Standards and Qualifications at Habia and David Morgan of the Habia Skills Team.

Patrick Cameron said, "I have been wowed yet again by the standard of entries to this competition from individuals who are just 14 to 15 years old.

"It is fantastic that they have been able to realise they possess such potential in this field through this competition and the Young Apprenticeship programme."

The proud winner, Ellie Quirke, added: "It's absolutely amazing to have won this award. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of meeting Patrick and watching his creative work and I'm really looking forward to Salon International where I'll be working with the Habia Skills team."

The awards ceremony also included hair shows from the Habia Hairdressing Skills Team's Emma Moore and Ross Miller, as well as Patrick Cameron, who demontrated two hair-up styles and gave an inspirational talk about his career in hairdressing.