Financial Accounting Apprentice Review

As a Financial Accounting Apprentice, it is my role to assist the Finance Director by creating financial reports, that can be used to summarise and analyse financial performance, as well as expose opportunities for development and improvement within the business.

As I am doing my AAT level 3 at the same time, I am not only on the road to becoming a qualified accountant, but I am also able to see the real-life application to some of the topics that I am studying. I have become more competent using Microsoft Excel and various other pieces of software. I have also improved my time management skills, and have a better ability to prioritize in order of their importance.

Every day I enjoy waking up and coming to work. The possibility to be working on something new every day keeps things exciting. The culture and the environment is very special, everybody here is extremely welcoming and friendly. It has more than surpassed my expectations.

I feel valued by my colleagues and my manager. They are appreciative of the caliber of work that I am able to produce. I am constantly being involved in different tasks and projects. After only a couple of months so far, I have already worked on some of the biggest projects of the year.

When I joined I received a full induction. There is a support structure in place for me, so that I can reach out to people if I have any issues. My manager is also supportive of my studying, and we have allocated a certain amount of time every week so that I can spend some time keeping up with my studies.

I have a skills coach that is supporting me throughout my apprenticeship. I have scheduled meetings with her to discuss how my apprenticeship is going. She is very helpful and supportive, and has helped me with any questions that I have had about my apprenticeship or the course in general. I feel confident that if I were to have an issue she would be able to help me in a timely and effective manner.

My manager is very supportive. As we are only a team of two within the finance department in this office, we constantly work together when completing tasks. He has offered his support to help me with my studies, as a previous graduate of accounting.

For an apprenticeship, the salary here is very good. I do spend a lot of money every month commuting to London, however since I am very good at managing my finances, and have very little outgoings at this point in time, I have not once had an issue with money.

The company regularly provides everyone with the opportunity to win tickets to events and premieres for new releases, as well as holding screenings and other events within the building. There is a fitness programme within the company that is available to everyone. There are also opportunities throughout the year to engage with the local community through voluntary work and charity events.

Yes

It is an amazing place to work for. The culture and the environment here is very special. Everybody is extremely friendly and welcoming, and make you feel like a core member of the team. There is always a task or a project that I am able to get involved in, and the ability to do so coupled with the strong support structure, means that I am in an environment that lets me thrive and show what I am truly capable of.

It may sound a little cliche but just be yourself. They are not only looking for someone with good qualifications, they are looking for someone that will be able to get on and mesh well with the team. The assessment days may seem a little daunting at first, however they are not as bad as they are made out to be. The interviewers are very good at making you feel comfortable and relaxed.