As reported in The Courier earlier this summer Rachel Costello was one of the final 12 candidates (out of 90 applicants) shortlisted for a plum role as an NHS management trainee with North Lancashire Teaching Primary Care Trust.
Health chiefs decided to adopt a selection process that mirrored the style of the hit TV show 'The Apprentice', with rigorous tasks being set to find the person worthy of a permanent contract.
Rachel who has previously worked in the Ambulance Control Centre at Broughton, answering emergency calls, found out last week she is one of four to be offered a job.
She said: "I am delighted to have been chosen and excited about my future career prospects. If I could sum up the last eight weeks in one word it would simply be 'fantastic!'.
"Being an NHS Apprentice has allowed me to develop my leadership skills and I now feel more confident in my own abilities. I've also gained a better insight into my own working style and how I interact with others.
"For me, the highlight of the placement was leading my team to victory when we were set the task of creating a public health campaign."
At the end of each challenge, teams presented their results to a panel of judges made up of members of PCT staff.
Rachel's training will begin by allowing her to sample working life in a number of different PCT departments.
The NHS Apprentice scheme was open to everyone with A-Levels or an equivalent qualification or experience.
The others to be offered permanent contracts are Jo Morrow of Heysham, Matthew Maddock of Preston and Narinder Sandhu of Warwick.