Finance Apprentice Review

At my job, I am responsible for posting cash received as well as payments made out to suppliers. In addition, I also help with credit control. by chasing Ireland debtors who have an overdue account with us. There can be some issues along the way such as a missing invoice or duplicate invoice and it is my responsibility to assist in this as much as possible.

Through my job, I have developed a lot of skills. A lot of the systems used in manual accounting have been transferred to digital accounting such as the way the files are organised. My communication skills have gotten a lot better since I started and I am not as afraid to ask for help

I enjoy my programme a lot. My tutor’s lessons are very interesting as well as being clear and concise more importantly. Each topic is broken down so it’s not too much of a strain despite being 4 hours long. The recording of the sessions allow me to watch back any topics I believe I am struggling on. This helps me when it comes to revising for my exams

They are the same time every week which provides a nice structure into my hectic job. If there are times where the tutor is unavailable (e.g. appointment) there is enough notice as well as a pre recorded session on the topic we were meant to study. I like how we have the option to have cameras on/off as sometimes I don’t look my best!

Recently, there has been a lot of staff changes in our department which requires more effort on everyones part as there is more responsibilities to share. Therefore, I have received a lot of support from my employer on areas I have yet to cover or have no knowledge how to do. She describes what I need to do in the simplest format possible without it sounding patronising. I would 10% be in a worse position filled with stress if it weren’t for my employer.

I think the concept I struggled the most with was accruals and prepayments. I couldn’t wrap my head around how it works and when we need to use it. This was made clearer when I asked [This section of the comment has been removed by a member of the RateMyApprenticeship Team because it did not meet our site terms and conditions] for some practice questions regarding the topic. I scored 88% in my exam which I believe was boosted by that section of the module.

I’m still finding out how things work with each day at work and it’s interesting to see how much manual bookkeeping is integrated into an ERP system. For example, there is double entry but it’s done automatically so I don’t even realise it’s there. There’s a lot of journals posted for prepayments as well as accruals.

The company holds an unofficial running club in which staff can run after work if they wanted to. We also have quarterly social gatherings which extends the invitation to past employees as well. It helps everyone get to know one another a bit more personally rather than just in a work environment.

Yes

I would rate PC Henderson to a friend as it is an environment that allows people to learn and ask questions if needs be. I am naturally a curious person and tend to ask in depth questions about anything and everything so to be encouraged to do that makes me want to do better. Help is always available and is enabled rather than left to your own devices. There’s also a lot of freedom in that sense as I am not micromanaged which is very nice. I enjoy taking things at my own pace as it allows me to figure things out on my own.

For others seeking to work for PC Henderson, or any ASSA ABLOY company for that matter, I’d say to take the first leap and apply. The company is over 100 years old for a reason and I believe the success is all due to the staff. I see firsthand just how hard everyone works to make sure the company works smoothly. I’m very proud to be a part of it.