Where It All Starts For Apprenticeships

I felt that, with the majority of students choosing university, it would be hard to stand out with only a degree on my CV. When I looked into other options, I thought professional apprenticeships would definitely give me something different to offer employers – valuable experience in the finance sector, a good knowledge base and studying to become a chartered accountant.

I found GetMyFirstJob through a Google Search. The system was easy to use and very simple to find the relevant apprenticeship opportunities. I was contacted by BPP who had seen my profile on GetMyFirstJob. I had a role within 2-3 months and that was with minimal effort. Simply putting your profile on this website seemed to be the key.

I had always been expected to go to university and actually had a place at University of Birmingham to study Maths, however as Finance has always been my desired career sector, I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to work for a FTSE 50 company and get a fast-track route into the Finance world.

I am currently an apprentice at Experian where I do four six-month rotations around different Finance teams. I spent my first six months in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Financial Accounting where I gained invaluable knowledge of a whole range of financial topics including Fixed Assets, Bad Debt and Reconciliations. As I work for a global company and in an EMEA team, I was also in daily contact with various contacts based around the world.

Now I have just moved to Accounts Receivable where I will be learning the basic admin tasks that underpin the team and will also be a credit controller for South Africa. This will help me develop a lot of different skills from my original placement, including communication and influence skills.

Would I recommend doing an apprenticeship? If you are confident in the sector you want to work in, then yes. You will, in most cases and definitely mine, receive a guaranteed job on completion, real knowledge and experience. I am well on the way to becoming chartered, have built a considerable business network and all while earning.

It’s a fast track route to where you want to be.

I chose to do an apprenticeship because I felt it would be the prime opportunity to gain more qualifications, develop my business experiences and to earn while I was learning at the same time.

I found out about GMFJ via the Jobcentre. The GMFJ system was very easy to use. It enabled me to complete my profile easily and in the long run, this would allow me to apply for roles in a much more efficient manner. The system is great for employers to search for particular candidates so your profile is important to highlight you as a person. I applied for my current role and within a month of applying for the role, I had been offered my apprenticeship.

My apprenticeship has been varied over the past 3 years. I have been given the chance to work in different parts of the business, which has helped me to utilise what I have learnt through my studies. My main role is to assist with the development of the apprenticeship programme within my company and to offer support and guidance to anyone looking to further their career. Since then, I have been trusted to take on different projects and this has enabled me to develop many skills. The experiences I have had so far are second to none and I am so glad I decided on this route for my career.

My apprenticeship gave me the experience I was looking for. It has filled me with confidence and I would recommend anyone to go for an apprenticeship as the lessons are invaluable and the possibilities are endless.