Your Career. Our Priority.
Jade
I was a school leaver in 2020 and my final year was cut short due to COVID. This meant my GCSE exams were cancelled which was frustrating after I had worked so hard towards them. After some time away from full time education I knew that sixth form wasn’t what I wanted to do however, I knew I wanted to continue to learn and achieve qualifications along the way. Due to my mathematical skills and interest in the financial sector, I decided to try an accountancy apprenticeship.
When I first started at 16, I was the most junior member of staff and had very little accountancy knowledge or skills. This meant I did a lot of administrative tasks, but I knew I wanted to progress. Over the past four years I have progressed from an accounts assistant Team Leader, and I now have the responsibility of helping the accounts assistants.
When I started my apprenticeship, I worked on a lot of general clients in trades such as construction, beauty and retail. For the last two years I have worked in the Television & Film department and with this I have had to learn the legislation behind this area of accountancy including how to complete UK film tax credits. I have worked on two film productions and continue to work on the accounts for both actors and production crew.
As an accountancy apprentice starting out, the typical day will include data entry and processing, reconciliation work, dealing with internal and external stakeholders (such as clients, HMRC and banks) and working on the preparation of work for senior members of staff. Once an accountancy apprentice has experience (both workplace and educational) the work will become more complex such as completing full VAT returns and personal tax returns. An apprentice will always have support from senior members of staff and management.
My greatest achievement has been passing my AAT Level 4 qualification and advancing onto ACCA. I have now passed two ACCA exams and am working towards my third exam.
Starting an apprenticeship instead of choosing a university route meant that I could gain workplace experience whilst gaining a qualification at the same time. This has given me over four years of experience in practice already at the age of twenty. If I had chosen the university route, I still wouldn’t be finished with a degree, so I feel it really gave me a head start into my career.
The best part of my experience was the support from the mentors throughout the learning and examination process. Especially when first starting the course, it was all so new and overwhelming, but my teachers Holly and Adill made the environment relaxed and enjoyable which took away part of the stress.
My plan is to continue my ACCA studies and become fully qualified as a chartered accountant. I also hope to progress within the company and expand my film accountancy skills whilst building a portfolio of clients.
I believe an apprenticeship is the best way to learn the fundamental skills of a role and build practical experience whilst gaining qualifications alongside. Having a split of time between workplace and classroom learning also make the transition from full time education to the workplace that bit smoother and less overwhelming.
If you would like to become an Accountancy Apprentice, and progress up to a fully qualified accountant, make sure to get in touch with the EMA team:
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