A Moray teenager has hailed the benefits of a council employment scheme after landing her first job.
Sarah Cantlay, 16, has begun work as an administration assistant with Springfield Properties, having completed a project designed to help youngsters cross from education into the workplace.
Sarah was paired with the company for a year as part of Moray Council’s Career Ready drive.
Career Ready is a national charity that links schools with employers to prepare young people for the world of work, and provides mentoring, workplace visits and paid internships.
Sarah completed a four-week placement with Springfield over the summer holidays.
The former Elgin High School pupil said: “I had always wanted to work in an office-based environment when I left school so my internship provided valuable experience.
“It has allowed me to develop new skills and has helped to build my confidence.”
Heather Henderson, who has mentored Sarah for the past year, said: “When I was paired with Sarah I could tell from her application and her school grades that she was a hard working student.
“Seeing her confidence grow and being able to help her flourish during her internship to the point where she has been offered a full-time position with the company has been extremely rewarding.”
At the moment 29 young people in Moray secondary schools are in Career Ready partnerships, and 37 more will begin courses later this month.
Mervyn Stanley, regional manager for Career Ready in Moray, said: “Our programme aims to give young people the skills, knowledge and attitudes they need to succeed in their future career.”
Moray Council education officer Craig Lowther added: “This is one of a number of initiatives that are helping to develop the young workforce in Moray, and will support students to move on to positive destinations when they leave school.”