A TEENAGE air cadet from Knebworth will be spending three weeks in South Africa after gaining a place in the final of a prestigious national competition.

Henry Wisdom, of Oakfields Road, has made a shortlist of nine finalists who will be competing for the 2010 Duke of Westminster Award.

The 17-year-old, whose goal is to become an RAF pilot, will jet off to South Africa in July.

Henry, who recently completed a BTEC First Diploma in Public Services, has been a member of the Air Traning Corps (ATC) for three years.

The teenager will also soon be completing his First Diploma in Music.

Henry, who attends John Henry Newman School in Stevenage, said: “All of the BTECs are very interesting.

“If you don’t have an interest in the subject beforehand you certainly will after.

“I even took the work on holiday to Spain to finish as quickly as I could! My school was very impressed with my BTECs.

“Boosting my qualifications with the equivalent of eight GCSEs is no mean feat.

“It’s certainly eight more on anyone else I know!”