Finance Apprentice Review

My role involves managing data and posting profit and loss reports into a system. They are then used to distribute management information regarding previous days business. I get to work on process improvements to improve control and efficiency and get to interact with internal and external auditors and internal stakeholders on their needs.

My people skills have improved massively through having to communicate using lots of different methods (emails, calls, presentations, spreadsheets) with different people for varying purposes. I have also become much more knowledgable in using Excel. I am able to use nested formulas, build spreadsheets from scratch and more recently use VBA to automate processes.

I love the apprenticeship as it gives me the opportunity to get involved in what I call 'extra-curriculars'. There are already lots of opportunities for different activities but with the apprenticeship there's a whole other world of opportunities. Not to mention the apprenticeship team who support with getting involved in these things and making time for them.

It's very well organised - I know what exam I'm studying for and when well in advance and know the timescales expected of me for certain milestones, whether that's taking an exam or moving to a new rotation, etc. There are busy time and quiet periods which suits my style because I can plan ahead and make everyone aware of my fuller schedule but I suppose that could boil down to personal preference.

A great deal of support. If you're bored they'll find something for you to get involved in, if you're overfaced they'll show you the support available and work with you to find a middleground and if you're struggling with your studies they'll support in any way they can to help you pass.

Kaplan are generally quite good. The lectures themselves can be a little too long and the quality of the tutor feeds in to how well you pick up the material. The materials they send are very good. If you use it all you can't go wrong and will be well prepared for the exam.

I actually understand the accounts! That's always a good start - without the qualification I could do my role but I wouldn't be able to explain any of the numbers, I could process the data and identify any anomolies but now I understand how they came up and where to go to get an explanation of them.

Many opportunities - you only get what you put yourself forward for though! If you're not willing to get involved then you don't have to, but in that case you're wasting what the apprenticeship has to offer. It's so much more than just the qualification and if you're just looking for a day-to-day role then those exist. The excitement of the apprenticeship is the opportunities you're afforded and all the extra-curriculars you get to be involved in. Competitions, learning days, networking events, charity balls, etc.

Yes

The company are really great at supporting you in your studies and offer lots of extra-curriculars. The culture is one of growth and trust meaning you're challenged to grow and gain new skills but also you're supported and trusted from early on with some important responsibilities. This helps you feel the purpose of the work you do.

Do it, and don't get discouraged. It may take more than one go, so take the feedback, learn from it, develop and try again. Make sure you apply for the right role. Don't think about salary or qualifications, but rather what you enjoy doing and how you'd be happy to spend your day. And don't let qualifications/exams put you off! They're nowhere near as bad as they seem.