Exeter College student Samantha Banks is celebrating after winning the National Award for Outstanding BTEC Travel and Tourism Student of the Year 2013, by Pearson UK.

Samantha, 18, from Umberleigh, who recently completed the Level 3 BTEC Extended Diploma in Travel and Tourism, specialising in Airline Cabin Crew with Flybe, was selected from over 700 nominations for 22 award categories. She has already secured a full-time role working for Easy Jet from Bristol International Airport. She says: “It's great to be working as cabin crew for Easy Jet since it means I am using all the skills I learnt in the course at the college in the real field and I'm enjoying it – even though flight delays can make it difficult for me and the public!”

Samantha celebrated with her family and tutor at a special parliamentary reception at the House of Lords, before being presented with her award by BBC Radio 1 Presenter Matt Edmondson and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson at a formal ceremony at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London. Samantha was delighted to be selected: “I was really gobsmacked and proud when I heard I had won BTEC student of the year – my Mum and Dad are really pleased and have all my awards on the mantelpiece, my whole family is really proud!”

Described by her tutors as “outstanding in many ways”, she was nominated for the national accolade by proud tutors at the college for her commitment to the course, in which she has gained full D* distinction grades – the highest possible – and maintained a 100% attendance record, despite travelling 90 minutes each way to college.

Jane Mason, Travel and Tourism Lecturer at Exeter College said: “I remember the first day I interviewed her for the course and immediately knew she would be amazingly successful and go far as she was determined to work in the airline industry. She has been successful at gaining a job after her first industry interview, using all her course knowledge in terms of preparation for employment and work experience units wisely to land her dream job! She is now passing on her experience from the interview process to her class peers and several students have now also gained airline employment following her success and advice! She is a real inspiration to others and a great example of how vocational courses like this can prepare young people for the world of work and entry into employment, even in such difficult economic times.”

The awards were organised by Pearson, who own Edexcel, the awarding body for BTEC qualifications, in recognition of nearly one million students across the country who are studying BTECs this year. Rod Bristow, President, Pearson UK said: “I'm delighted the National BTEC Awards are now in their third year and becoming an established moment in the education calendar. In our modern economy with ever changing skills needs, we need practitioners who understand the theory, and academics who can put things into practice. BTEC aims to give students access to that kind of rounded education.

“More and more universities and employers are telling us that they value that rounded approach. Every year, thousands of BTEC students go on to further study and good jobs that really value their skills. They achieve great things in a wide variety of industries vital to the economy, ranging from business and engineering to ICT and healthcare.

“It is vital to support and celebrate the hard work and achievements of outstanding BTEC students and their teachers. This year's judges were impressed by the quality and number of nominations we received but Samantha really stood out as a truly exceptional student”