An apprenticeship at Ernst & Young

An ambitious and impressive student who showed great leadership as our Head Girl (Class of 2021), Georgia wanted a fast-track to her accountancy career goals. Opting for a degree apprenticeship over university means she is now at the final stages of becoming a qualified chartered accountant, alongside a full-time career. We caught up with her to find out the pros and cons of the different pathways into this career.

Where did you hear about degree apprenticeships and what made you choose to pursue this pathway?

I initially heard about degree apprenticeships through my own research. I always knew I wanted to go into professional services/finance and so I was looking into these types of companies just to understand the roles they offer. Specifically, I was looking into the websites of the Big 4 when I discovered their degree apprenticeship opportunities.

Can you describe a typical work/university day?

It is hard to describe a typical day as my work and study requirements change depending on the time of year. However, generally my programme follows this format:

When it is exam season:

• We go to college (sometimes in person, sometimes online) to learn the course for my upcoming exam (Under the ICAEW qualification) about 6-8 weeks before the exam.
• Once college is done, I go back to full-time work, using weekends or evenings to revise. 
• Roughly two weeks before the exam we are sent to an in-person revision course, run by my tuition provider, to do exam practice and further revision. We are given study leave up to the date of the exam.
• We take the exam... and then its back to work!

Outside of exam periods it is just like having a full-time corporate job. I work a 9-5 and have regular clients; I participate in any training or internal learning requirements and get involved in any social or network activities.

What skills do you feel are important for success in your particular field?

In my particular field, Audit, you have to have a questioning and analytical mind. My job is to question clients and ensure they are doing their job correctly, so you have to be understanding but also sceptical. 

How has your experience differed from your friends who chose the "traditional" university pathway?

All of my other friends went to university and there are definitely pros and cons of both. Having a full-time job, each year progressing in my career, I naturally have much more disposable income and so have been able to spend and save as I wish, and I will avoid debt. I also have much more work and real-life experience in my chosen field. If you are looking to have the freshers experience, you won't get that with a degree apprenticeship, but you will still join with a cohort of co-workers that soon become friends.

Is there anything you feel that you have missed out on (in terms of the university experience)?

I feel that I missed out on the classic 'uni life' - living in halls, freshers events and socials/clubs. However, if I had gone to uni, I would've felt I missed out on growing my career and saving. It is a double-edged sword and ultimately I felt the degree apprenticeship aligned more with my long-term goals.

What advice would you give to students who are thinking of taking this route?

The good thing about degree apprenticeships (over uni) is that you can apply for as many as you like! I did UCAS and got accepted to all of my options. At the same time, I applied for four different apprenticeship schemes and got all those, too. My advice would be to get ahead of applications as you can always withdraw/decline if you change your mind. 

I think the key point to note is that a degree apprenticeship is the same as uni in the sense that you can always leave. Some of my colleagues started at uni and then found it didn't suit them, others have left my course to go to university instead. I even know someone who started at university, joined my programme, then went back to uni! Ultimately it is okay to be on the fence and, although maybe not ideal, the option is always there to change your mind.

How do you think your career prospects compare to students who take the traditional route in your field?

In terms of my career prospects, I guess I already have a career. I am currently a senior auditor at one of the "Big 4" and come June I will be a fully qualified chartered accountant. I know people in their 40s/50s with the same job title as me so I already feel secure for life.

Obviously, though, my goal is to progress. I know individuals who joined at the same level as me and became partners by the time they were 30. Although this may not be my journey, it is do-able! Otherwise, it is easy to move into industry, working in finance departments etc. I think I was in my second year when I first started receiving messages on LinkedIn from recruiters and since then they haven't stopped.

A close friend of mine opted to go to university to study accounting, whilst I did this. This June she will have finished her three year degree, with a placement year. She will then need to do a grad scheme for around 2-3 years depending on the location, which is very competitive in the UK. In June I will have completed my ACA and have a Masters degree equivalent, so it is definitely a fast-track route.

Do you keep in touch with your RST friends?

There are a few people I continue to check in with using social media and it is always nice to see peoples life/career updates pop up. Unfortunately, I haven't been back to Thailand since I graduated so haven't been able to catch-up with people in person. I am hoping that once I qualify I will be able to come back for a visit! 

How can the RST Alumni Society help you?

A key portion of my job, as with any professional services role, is networking. I think the Alumni Society could be a great opportunity for this. Another key responsibility of mine is coaching and it's something I greatly enjoy, so I love any opportunities to sit with current students to provide any advice, info. or mentorship. I was also recently notified that RST will be in London sometime in April so I'm looking forward to getting involved there. 

Article by Georgia (Class of 2021)