Financial Analyst Review

I currently work within the Purchasing Finance function of Jaguar Land Rover; daily job involves a lot of approvals for finance business partners in addition to reporting on monthly spends and a variety of other statistics. The role has a high level of responsibility but also allows for plenty of collaboration.

I have only been in this role for six months (as we rotate annually) however during this time my confidence has dramatically improved; which was a main target for me personally. This has been due to the high amount of collaboration and the necessity to work beyond my comfort zone.

The programme is a fantastic opportunity to gain qualifications that are on par with, if not higher than, what would be obtained through attending university, but without the associated debt. It also allows for a high level of personal and career development by providing the ability to work alongside your qualifications.

Structured across a period of 5-6 years, the first four are dedicated to CIMA and the Level 7 apprenticeship. You are given a final exam date however all exams before this can be progressed at a personal rate which provides perfect work environment flexibility. Following CIMA, a masters degree will be completed at university in a similar fashion to CIMA (studying alongside career progression).

There is a dedicated team available to support any apprentice should that be required. However at the same time, if support is not required, you will be left alone to progress through the scheme at your own rate (with quarterly check-ins); this is due to the focus on self growth rather than feeling like a repeat of secondary school education.

BBP provide a strong level of flexibility from in centre lessons to studying from home. This allows for apprentices to progress at their own desired rate throughout the CIMA course. They also provide all source material for the studies in addition to question booklets etc. Overall this perfectly prepares you for upcoming exams, providing that you put the work in.

Over the past 12 months I have successfully taken and passed 7 of my 16 exams and I am beginning to apply this to my day to day role. From better understanding contexts during meetings to possessing increased competency towards new tasks; I find CIMA to be beneficial almost every day.

There are plenty of social opportunities available, with internal websites dedicated to a wide array of activities. This can range from sports clubs to career progression events with senior leadership. Recently there has been a strong push towards well-being and mental health awareness; which everyone is partaking in, creating a strong positive culture within the workplace.

Yes

Jaguar Land Rover provides an exceptional opportunity for individuals who want to excel their future potential whilst not missing out on university level qualifications. The firm is heavily people focused and is a pleasure to work for in all aspects. The scheme provided is almost too good to believe and I would strongly recommend to anyone thinking about applying.

The application process is very competitive as you might imagine, with limited places available. Therefore, I would advise to spend time researching the firm, what it values and its future aspirations etc. and then begin to identify where you would fit into this. A lot of people apply for the apprenticeship so you want to be the applicant that stands out, that they remember from the crowd.