At 25, Ms Cindy Phua is a mother of one, and has already been working full-time for the past eight years. That's a lot more years on the workforce than what most her age would have clocked.

What makes it even more remarkable is that she has been with the same employer all this time, and never even thought of job-hopping when most of her peers at her age would be looking out for better jobs with brighter prospects than what their current employer is offering.

Now a restaurant manager with McDonald's at its Woodlands outlet, she began working there as a part-time service crew when she was 14, while she studied to help her family make ends meet.

The constant juggling and never-ending demands between work and school and extra-curricular activities took their toll, and Ms Phua found that her O Level grades did not allow her to qualify for a business management course.

Ms Phua, who was then in Yishun Secondary School, said: "It was stressful studying for my 'O' levels and working at the same time, but my dad had high blood pressure and I just wanted to help him out."

Her family also could not afford to pay for her further studies.

Making the best of her situation, she decided to work full-time at McDonald's. Despite her poor grades, her current employer took her in and made her a Store Activities Representative, planning interactive activities and birthday parties for children.

But Ms Phua was not content to remain where she was. She did her best to improve herself while she worked. At the same time, her employer noticed her positive and hard-working attitude.

She said: "My family's financial situation did not enable me to further my studies but joining McDonald's made up for it. I was offered a full-time job and various opportunities to enhance my skills in leadership, management and interpersonal skills."

Her commitment to her company and eagerness for self-improvement paid off. Ms Phua also credits her manager at McDonald's who taught her about proper time management within a tight schedule, helping her to be optimistic about her own future.

It was a dream come true for this girl-made-good when she was selected by McDonald's to attend the University Accreditation Program (UAP), where she finally obtained a diploma.

She said: "It is almost like a second chance at life!

"Just recently, I was at the Hamburger University in Sydney, attending a leadership course. There is always opportunity to learn and grow at McDonald's and I do not see myself stopping here. I want to be a Business Consultant in the next two to three years."

The eldest of three siblings has also been something of an inspiration to her two younger siblings, who are also working at McDonald's and have risen to managerial positions in McDonald's too.