Studying accountancy through an apprenticeship is a great pathway to take, as it enables you to focus on developing specific skills and knowledge, learning the theory behind them, and then being able to apply this to your work the very next day.

Applying for an apprenticeship isn’t a scary process. It’s a great opportunity to show off all of your academic achievements and extra-curricular activities, but do explain what benefit you gained from each experience. It’s really important to do some research on the employer you are applying for and to tailor your application to both them and to the apprenticeship you would like to undertake.

I wanted to be in a practical environment rather than in a classroom so I could apply my knowledge straightaway... Working towards an accredited qualification is also really important to me as I want to know I’m building the right knowledge for the industry, and I’m qualified at each level along the way.

This apprenticeship has finally opened the door to a career for me and that’s what I’ve always wanted. I’ve already got my first promotion as a senior fraud data analyst and I’m only at the start of my career. As long as you work hard and keep building your knowledge, there will always be roles and a need for finance skills.