A 23-year-old woman has gone from being jobless and struggling to pay her rent to starting a new job with a company car.

Sarah Alexander was 18, had been unemployed for a year and finding it difficult to hold down a tenancy — meanwhile the country was deep in recession.

With job opportunities scarce, she accepted eight weeks work experience, through Cumnock Jobcentre at Jewsons in the town, where she made an excellent impression.

This stood her in good stead as they contacted her six months later about a vacancy for a customer service apprentice, which she successfully applied for.

Sarah was Jewson’s first Customer Service Apprentice in Scotland and reached the company’s highest grades for that role.

Still financially insecure, she also took on a parttime job as a carer working evenings and weekends with HRM Homecare, balancing both jobs for two years.

Meanwhile, she was taking driving lessons and subsequently passed her test and bought a car.

More good news followed when Sarah was offered promotion to work at Jewson’s Ayr branch as manager designate.

She said: “I would never have become designate manager without the chance I was given by the Jobcentre of work experience. I am excited to get started in Ayr and looking forward to the challenge the new job will bring. I would definitely recommend work experience”.

A spokeswoman for Cumnock Jobcentre added: “This is testimony to all Sarah’s hard work over the last five years. She is very skilled and efficient in her job, giving excellent customer service and is a popular member of staff.

“She has developed within the company from apprentice to manager in just five years and at the age of 23. This demonstrates how hard work and the right attitude gets rewards. The new job comes with a company car and an increase in salary.”

Jewson have advertised Sarah’s job in the Cumnock branch and would be happy to offer work experience to someone with the same attitude that she has.