The Most Issue 5

For further information about the range of AAT Accounting apprenticeships. please contact Becky on 01772 225772 or email blevin@preston.ac.uk Meet The Apprentice Emily joined Blackpool Football Club in May 2021 as a Level 3 Accounts apprentice. Since then, she has completed her apprenticeship and been offered a full-time role at the Club who are also investing in her future development. Here she tells us of her apprenticeship journey and how the apprenticeship has benefited her. “During my time as an Accounts apprentice at Blackpool Football Club, I loved seeing my progression in the role and the skills I developed along the way. Initially, at the start of my apprenticeship in May 2021, I took control of the Accounts email inbox. I would carry out basic accounting tasks such as uploading invoices received, creating sales invoices, and answering supplier and customer queries. “As of April 2022, my accounting knowledge had increased immensely. My tasks became more advanced, and I now take full control of the payables and receivables ledgers, completing the cash forecasts, advising on payment runs, completing payroll for over 200 employees across the organisation and posting month end journals. “As of September 2022, I have recently completed my AAT Level 3 and achieved a distinction. I am pleased to say that I have now progressed onto my next level of training whilst continuing to work full-time at Blackpool Football Club in the Accounts Department as Junior Management Accountant. “I am further increasing my knowledge and skills at work and taking on the responsibility of completing the monthly Management Accounts for Blackpool Football Club and Blackpool Football Club Hotel. I wish to progress onto ACCA qualifications to become a qualified Chartered Accountant. ACCA qualifications are more advanced, so I am eager to use my knowledge of AAT and my work experience to support me whilst learning new accounting concepts and gaining further knowledge. “I believe that by obtaining my accounting qualifications through the apprenticeship programme, I developed the practical skills and understanding which allowed me to excel in my first steps to becoming a qualified Accountant. Whilst working at Blackpool Football Club, I have been able to apply the information I learnt studying my AAT Level 3 at Preston College to the real-life situations working in an Accounts department. “As a result, I can further understand my qualification and relate my studies to how each task is completed practically in the office. By applying my knowledge of both practical situations and information learnt on my AAT Level 3 course, I have been able to obtain better exam results. For example, in my AAT Level 3 Advanced Bookkeeping exam, I achieved 100%. “Another advantage of studying through the apprenticeship programme is that I work for a business who invests in me and wants me to exceed in my career. Therefore, I am eager to show my employers that I will achieve excellent results in my exams because of the time and training they have invested in me. “The work experience element of my apprenticeship gives me a larger network of support outside Preston College from my colleagues who have wide-ranging knowledge of accounting. As a result, I can ask for help regarding my college work if I have any queries or if I wish to understand a topic further. “Looking back on my progression within the last 10 months and looking forward to the new tasks that lie ahead, I am proud to see how far I have come and excited to challenge myself in the future. I would recommend anyone thinking about an apprenticeship to go for it!” Blackpool Football Club says: “Emily has showcased the best possible outcome for the apprenticeship programme, both for herself and Blackpool Football Club. She has applied her in class learning to real-world scenarios, excelling both academically and professionally. She has developed immensely in her time with the organisation, which has benefitted the Finance function and wider business. Emily has a bright future ahead, and we are delighted to help a capable young person achieve their aims.” Gina Moran, Emily’s work-based tutor at Preston College says: “Emily has all the attributes to make an excellent Assistant Accountant. She has excelled in her apprenticeship role at Blackpool Football Club, progressing her knowledge, skills and behaviours at a fantastic rate and is willing to take on new challenges whilst embracing the changes that she has encountered. In her Level 3 qualification Emily took her first exam in Advanced Book Keeping, which is one of the more demanding exams, and she achieved a phenomenal 100%! This is an exceptionally rare result, however Emily remains modest about her achievement. She is a delight in the class being polite and friendly. I am sure she will continue to excel in her performance both at college and in the workplace.” 23

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