Finance Apprentice Review

I work in the finance department at Cummins. My role varies quite a bit throughout the month but some of my day to day tasks include posting journals to the general ledger, verifying manual payments and raising purchase orders. I also reconcile a number of balance sheet accounts and perform adhoc recharges to clear any balances from these prior to the month end close.

Since starting this apprenticeship I have improved my communication skills through speaking to a range of people daily over calls. This has also improved my confidence especially when speaking in bigger groups. I've learnt a lot about excel and can now use pivot tables and a range of formulas to manipulate data, which is important when working in finance. Cummins has a fast paced environment and being exposed to this has greatly improved my organisational and time management skills.

I am really enjoying my apprenticeship so far! Coming into the business with no experience in the finance sector was daunting but the amount of support available from managers and team members has really helped me to settle in and develop quickly. This apprenticeship is giving me experience and it is definitely more fun being able to learn on the job rather than being sat in a classroom every day.

My apprenticeship lasts for four years and the structure is very easy to follow. I work four days a week and spend one day at college. The job description set out which qualifications I would be completing alongside my work and how long each should take to complete. When at work I have monthly one to ones with my manager to discuss my progress and it gives me an opportunity to raise any issues. We also have regular check ups with my college to check how I'm doing in exams and to discuss my portfolio work.

I feel very supported here at Cummins. My manager is always available to help with any problems I have and so is the rest of the team as everyone wants to see you succeed. Despite working from home the level of support received is still very good, our team have daily calls every morning to discuss people's workloads and this gives us the opportunity to raise any issues.

There is plenty of support available from college. Although I'm only in one day a week my teachers will always happily respond to any emails. They provide lots of resources to help prepare us for our exams and allow us to have some input over when our exams are depending on how confident we feel.

I think that the qualification I'm currently studying towards has helped me to progress more quickly in my role than I would have without it. It's given me a good foundation of knowledge and has greatly developed my understanding of the finance sector. I find that I can relate what I'm learning at college to my day to day tasks, which is definitely helping me understand more complex processes.

Working at home means opportunities to get involved in extra-curricular activities have been limited. However the company is still trying to implement safe activities that employees can get involved in from home. For example earlier this year a virtual event called Move Europe was set up which encouraged employees from across Europe to exercise in an attempt to cover 20,000km virtually.

Yes

Cummins is a company with a great atmosphere, which really supports and looks after their employees. They offer an employee benefits scheme and really are invested in supporting your progression. There are many opportunities here, never think you are just stuck in your role - there's always something new you can get involved in.

Be yourself! They want to see who you are as a person and what interests you have outside of work and school and what experiences this has given you. This helps them see what skills you already have and what your values are as a person. Make sure you research the company, especially their mission and values. This not only shows initiative but also that you are interested in the work that the company does. Finally show them that you're dedicated. Cummins want apprentices that will work hard and show determination so that they have confidence you will complete your qualifications.