Crossword Genius

Learner given promotion is a stable employee (3)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

lad

'a stable employee' is the definition.
(lad can mean a stable lad)

'learner given promotion' is the wordplay.
'learner' becomes 'l' (as in a learner driver with L-plates on their car).
'given' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'promotion' becomes 'ad' (short for advert).
'l'+'ad'='LAD'

'is' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for lad that I've seen before include "Boy or youth" , "A young chap into ballads" , "Stable worker" , "Son" , "Shaver" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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