At Ideal4Finance, we’re big believers in apprenticeships which are a fantastic way to help young people gain valuable experience in a real work environment, whilst still receiving relevant training.
As employees, with a contract of employment and holiday leave entitlement, apprentices enjoy all the benefits of a paid job whilst working towards a qualification or training goal which will support their future career. In the workplace, they acquire the additional skills and knowledge they’ll need to meet the demands of their career path and reach their full potential.
We have a number of apprentices on the team at Ideal4Finance, all of whom are making a much-valued contribution to the business. Our Accounts Apprentice, Holly Bennison, comes to work four days a week and spends one day a week in college, where she is studying towards the AAT level 3 Accounting qualification.
Holly works with our Financial Controller and is involved in all aspects of the department, including invoices and purchase orders, reconciling accounts, using Xero, setting up payment schedules, weekly wages and payment allocations. To broaden her knowledge further, she has also spent time with other teams in the business, including Compliance and Relationship Management.
“I am really happy that, throughout the course of my apprenticeship, I have been given opportunities to work within other departments,” says Holly. “This has given me an insight into how each department contributes to the overall running of the business, whilst also widening my knowledge.”
Working with the Relationship Management team, Holly assists with the ongoing provision of bespoke marketing materials for clients of Ideal4Finance. This involves liaising with the clients themselves as well as with our suppliers and our own marketing team. “It’s been such valuable experience being able to deal with people outside the business, as well as internally,” she says.
Despite enjoying the variety of roles, Holly has her future clearly mapped out and her heart is definitely set on a career in accountancy. She says: “My plans for the future are to move on to AAT level 4 in 2022, and then progress on to a CIMA qualification within the next few years.”
By employing apprentices, businesses demonstrate a commitment to supporting the future development of young people, something which is acutely needed in the post-pandemic employment landscape. Aside from this, though, the benefits of apprenticeships are obvious.
Ideal4Finance MD, Noel Corcoran says: “Apprenticeships enable us to quickly fill many of the skills shortages we identify within our operation and at the same time offer rewarding career opportunities for young people. All our apprentices make a much-valued contribution to our business and are vital members of our team.”
Holly is definitely making the most of the opportunities being offered by her apprenticeship. Asked what advice she would give to other young people considering an apprenticeship, Holly says: “I would say that if you know exactly what career path you want to take, definitely look into getting an apprenticeship.
“It will give you the opportunity to gain great experience within a workplace, whilst also studying towards your chosen course.”
To find out more about Ideal4Finance read about us here.
