A FORMER unemployed single mother is scaling the dizzy heights of corporate success in Preston -- and she puts it all down to the Open University.

Rose de Carteret, from Clayton-le-Woods, Chorley, has enjoyed a meteoric rise to business analyst for the third largest computer company in the world, Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) in Preston, after she launched herself on a distance learning course.

Rags to riches Rose, aged 40, spent seven years getting her treasured BSc honours in technology.

But it hasn't always been easy. Ten years ago she was living in the south of England when her partner walked out on her and her two children. She was left penniless, she couldn't afford to pay the mortgage, let alone a baby-sitter. "I had to give up my job as the only way I could keep the house going was to claim income support," explained Rose.

"I really missed working so I did voluntary work, but that meant I wasn't earning." Despite a cloud of despair casting a shadow over her future, Rose said while claiming benefits she found time to do a couple of short business administration courses.

"Although I enjoyed them they weren't stretching me enough and a friend suggested I try the Open University," she said. "I knew a degree would stand me in good stead of a better job and more money, so I thought, why not?"

Things started looking up and Rose married her Chorley-born husband and moved to Clayton-le-Woods six years ago.

After various jobs, each one a step up the ladder, she graduated last October and became a corporate account manager for CSC, which provides IT support for large organisations such as BAE Systems.

Rose said: "Since then I have been promoted to a business analyst. I can't rate the OU high enough as it gave me the chance to learn about things I am passionate about and apply them to a career -- I'd recommend it to anyone."

But even with the benefits of distance learning on her side, Rose said she couldn't have got where she is today without one thing: "If it wasn't for the incredible support from my husband, Neil and children Elaine and Clifford, I don't know what I'd be doing now, and I thank them deeply for their help."