Personally, for someone who has NEVER had any experience with modelling, how about Anim8or... yes, it's spelled that way. It's a freebie, and is geared around someone just learning... from there, I'd go for Wings 3D, since he/she's talking modelling.... that'd get his/her feet on the ground. both have pretty decent tutorials. Lou.

"..... and that was when things got interestiing."