Level 7 Finance Apprentice Review

My current role is within the Global Financial Services department. This role specifically deals with accounting for some of the different fixed costs that need to be recorded on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis. This means mainly dealing with monthly accruals and prepayments that need to be accounted for by the business.

This is my second year on the apprenticeship and so far I have learnt lot's of new skills. The basic skills like using excel and the formulas were covered very early on and I am now proficient in this. You will also become familiar with using different costing systems like SAP, as well as being exposed to different data techniques like Tableau.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the programme so far as it has has given me countless opportunities to develop and grow. It has also given me experience in different areas of the finance function which will be vital for my future career progression. The programme is also very well supported by both JLR and BPP.

The programme is very well structured and organised. It is split into 4 rotations each lasting a year. I have so far done one full rotation and I am halfway through my second rotation. This second rotation has been in a completely different area of finance to the first. The study side of the apprenticeship is also very well organised by BPP - providing you all the resources you need to complete the qualification.

The support from JLR is good. We have been designated apprentice cohort leads and we have had a few catch up sessions with them to track our progress and achievements. JLR are also very supportive of giving you the time you need to complete the CIMA qualification - this consists of as a majority one day a week.

BPP are a good and supportive training provider. The lectures and webinars that they provide for each different module and exam are very good and engaging. They are also good at responding to questions and queries outside of these - as they provide tutors all the time on 'the hub' (online portal) to answer any questions you have as quickly as possible.

The CIMA qualification has been directly correlated to what I do in my current role. For example, dealing with debits and credits, as well as with accruals and prepayments. I have seen things I have been studying be applied in a real life scenario. There was also crossover with my first role as it covered an area of CIMA we has covered initially - variance analysis and reports.

There are lots of extra curricular events to get involved with. There is an early careers sporting group that organise various sporting events throughout the year - for example, there is an annual sports day. There is also a social group that organise different events and trips frequently - for example, go karting series' and fortnightly pool nights.

Yes

I would recommend JLR to a friend because it is an amazing place to work. It's a huge, successful, luxury organisation that is full of great people! They are very supportive and this apprenticeship provides one of the best opportunities I have seen to start and develop your career in finance.

The main tip I would give would be just to prepare effectively. Make sure you are prepared for every stage of the application process and know what each stage will require and what success at each stage will look like. Be passionate about finance and JLR and do the research into these areas!