Thinking about work-based training for a career in accountancy and finance?
Aspiring chartered accountant, Ammaarah, works in our busy business services team.
Ammaarah is studying with Leeds-based Kaplan Financial towards a Level 3 AAT qualification. We asked her about her journey into a career in accountancy and finance.
Why did you choose to study for a career in accountancy and finance?
“I always knew I wanted a career in finance. I did some interning at an accountancy firm after college and decided that this is what I wanted to do with my career.
“In the long-term there are so many jobs I could go into once I’m qualified, as accountancy is such an applicable role in so many industries. There’s always room for growth and a good challenge, and working with different people every day is very rewarding.”
What are your longer-term career aspirations?
“When I decided I wanted to work in accountancy, becoming chartered was definitely a goal to work towards. There are lots of benefits to becoming chartered; I really want to progress my own career and being surrounded by a team that have been in my place and are working towards (or have achieved) the goal I also want to see myself reach someday is super inspiring.
“At parsons the majority of the Business Services team are still in some form of study, so there is always someone that can relate and is ready to help – both in terms of study and working in the office.”
Why did you choose work-based study over a different study route?
“With Kaplan, I have the option to choose my method of study – either online or in the classroom. I prefer studying online as it means I can work my college days into my own personal schedule and whatever I’m working on in the office. At the moment, we are quite busy with a big audit so being able to work and study flexibly is helpful.”
“I wanted to be able to be able to learn through practice and that’s why an apprenticeship really appealed to me, rather than learning theory outside of a working environment. The really obvious alternative would be going to university, and whilst that may work for some people it wasn’t for me. Not having any university debt is also a bonus!
“In terms of career progression, I felt I would be able to achieve my goal of becoming chartered a lot easier and more effectively through choosing an apprenticeship.”
Do you enjoy working at Parsons?
“It’s great! I love being able to work in a supportive environment. As I previously said, there’s so many people around who are ready to help and that’s a really comforting, especially coming from a background with little work experience.
“In terms of the work I’m doing, it’s a pretty all around role, so I do feel like I’m getting the best of both worlds as, within my first six months with Parsons I’ve been exposed to so many different aspects of working in this field – auditing, payroll, bookkeeping and accounts, all whilst I’ve been studying my AAT qualification.
In a team where there are so many opportunities for growth and success it would be hard not to recommend Parsons as an employer.”
Get in touch with us if you want a flexible work/life balance and an opportunity to channel your passion for finance and data into transformative client service. We’ll be seeking apprentices to join our team from May/June – please get in touch with us if you are interested in an apprenticeship or work-based study route into accountancy and finance.
Our people are our biggest asset and we’re keen to welcome new talent at all experience levels. Whether you’re looking to enter the finance profession as a trainee, or you’re an experienced professional moving from a larger firm, we would love to hear from you. www.parsons.co.uk/careers
