A LOCHGELLY teenager has been chosen as Fife's Student of the Year in a major national event.

Lochgelly High School's Charlie Blair, 17, was so successful on the 'Career Ready' programme she was put on under the school's Employability initiative, that she earned the Top Fife Student accolade at the Standard Life sponsored Scotland Student of the Year awards.

And thanks to her success the Johnston Crescent youngster has been awarded £1,000 of retail vouchers which she can use to buy materials to help her with her studies later this year at Aberdeen University.

It has been an exciting past two years for Charlie, whose performance on work placements, as part of 'Career Ready', and her work at LHS, impressed the judges.

She received her award on Thursday at a gala event in Perth.

Said Charlie, who will be studying Primary Education at university: "I have to say that the Career Ready programme made a massive difference for me.

"My work placement was at HCS Control Systems in Glenrothes and everyone there was so supportive, especially Neil McGuinness, who was really superb with his advice."

Added Charlie: "The two year programme I was on put me in the direction I needed to realise what I want to do as a career.

"I would love to become a primary teacher and what the Employability initiative gave me was the support I needed to help me head in the right direction.

"Now I am looking forward to the next stage at Aberdeen University and to be named Fife's Student of the Year was something I really just did not expect."