From a young age, I have always loved the idea of having a professional job that would allow me to be independent and support myself. This is one of the reasons why, to me, a ICAEW apprenticeship sounded much more appealing than university.

I found out about ICAEW apprenticeships at a careers fair when I was in sixth form. After that, I attended as many presentations as I could about alternative career paths. It was a talk from my current employer, BDO, that inspired me to look more closely into apprenticeships and to do my own research. The fact that the scheme would offer me paid work experience, and a quicker route to becoming an ICAEW Chartered Accountant was a great motivator as well.

When trying to secure an apprenticeship, it is important to be yourself and feel confident in what you can achieve. Beyond that, having great organisational and communication skills is very important. I managed to develop these key skills through several part time jobs I had whilst at school.

In my job, I work with a variety of different clients, usually million pound turnover companies in different locations. This means that travelling is a big part of my role and it gives me the opportunity to work with a diverse group of companies and people on a daily basis. I work with the clients to ensure that their financial statements are accurate and in line with accounting principles, laws and regulations.

As an auditor, I have realised that the role revolves mainly around communicating with clients to help them enforce accounting policies and identify areas of risk. It’s far from a monotonous job, as you get to work with a variety of people in many interesting environments. Working out how to deal with the pressure of organising yourself to work in different scenarios on a weekly basis is one of the hardest challenges. However, this is easily overcome and it’s also what makes my job great.

I enjoy life as a ICAEW apprentice, because balancing work, study and social life has made me more organised. Employers are very understanding and help you keep that balance, in some cases offering additional study leave or holiday benefits. I don’t feel like I’ve missed out on the social life that comes with university. Thanks to the many social events organised by my employer, I’ve had the chance to get to know my colleagues better and meet so many different people.

There are many well-respected alternative routes to university that will enhance your employability and will help you get a great job straight from school and into the workplace. Within the next five years, I will have become a fully qualified ICAEW Chartered Accountant with many years of experience behind me, along with a great relationship with my firm.