Xenia Teoh, 19, joined EY to study and achieve a Level 7 Business Apprenticeship qualification. Based in Leeds, Teoh works in the EY private tax team, advising private and family-owned businesses and net-worth individuals and her ambition is to be a chartered accountant.

Teoh studied A-level accountancy and chose the apprenticeship route as she believed it was the best of both worlds as it gives her the opportunity to build a professional network while also developing her technical knowledge.

On what she liked most about her apprenticeship, Teoh said: ‘It provides me with the support I need to achieve my personal goals at an early age. I am given plenty of support and flexibility to manage my workload and studies so that I can maintain a healthy work-life balance.’

Izzy Law, 20, works as an auditor and data analyst in EY’s assurance business and is currently in the second year of a degree apprenticeship in digital and technology solutions. Law didn’t want to go to university as she struggled in the typical classroom setting.

Law was initially interested in EY’s apprenticeship schemes due to the range of sectors it offered and the firm’s focus on diversity and inclusion. Her goal is to complete her degree and excel in her role so she can coach new starters within EY to help them reach their personal milestones. 

On what she likes the most about her apprenticeship Law said: ‘I have the chance to gain a head-start in the working world while also completing a degree. After I finish the programme, I will have four years of experience and in-depth knowledge of working for EY.’

Rumaisa Wajid, 19, was hired as an assistant associate within audit and assurance as part of the BrightStart scheme at Deloitte. Beginning her studies in 2021 Wajid is working towards a Level 7 accountancy ACA qualification.

Wajid chose an accountancy career after helping her father with the book-keeping for his company in Walthamstow since she was a teenager. She chose to do an apprenticeship as an alternative route into accountancy instead of university as she enjoys the blend of study and hands-on work experience.

Wajid said: ‘Sometimes things don’t quite go to plan, whether you don’t get the grades you wanted or the university experience isn’t what you were expecting. It’s important that we understand that it doesn’t mean the end of the road for your chosen profession as there are different and other routes.’

Amrit Bhambra, 20, from Southall in London, joined Deloitte in 2021 and is one of the first BrightStart apprentices to join Deloitte Legal following the launch of the new legal apprenticeships in 2020. She is completing a Level 7 solicitor apprenticeship programme delivered by the University of Law.

Bhambra discovered Deloitte’s legal apprenticeship scheme after the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted her final years at school. Bhambra added that the firm’s response to Black Lives Matter and its Black Action plan made her feel included.  

Bhambra said: ‘The interviewer genuinely wanted to get to know me for who I am. The questions were open-ended, and I could tell that Deloitte is a firm that appreciates differences. This really set Deloitte apart during my job-hunting period, and the feeling of respect and attention I got in my interview was the reason I picked Deloitte for my apprenticeship.’

Millie Lingham, 20, is another BrightStart apprentice having joined in September 2021 and is currently studying a Level 6 Chartered Management Degree Apprenticeship. After completing her A levels in biology, maths, and business studies, Lingham decided to pursue the apprenticeship scheme route, turning down her place at university.

Lingham uses Deloitte’s flexible working policy of staggered hours to help fit in her studies as she works for four days a week and dedicates one to study. She has embraced hybrid working and enjoys collaborating with her team in the office and working from home as she gets to spend quality time with her mum.

Stephanie Coundon, 25, joined Deloitte’s BrightStart scheme in 2019 and is currently studying for the Chartered Management Degree apprenticeship through the Open University.

Coudon was another who attended university but found it wasn’t for her so looked for a career that played into her interests of maths and business management. She applied for the scheme as she was confident the blend of study and real-life experience working alongside people within the industry was the best way for her to learn as she loves working and collaborating as a team player.

Coundon said: ‘I tried a few different routes and types of education learning about apprenticeships – and at that point, I just knew an apprenticeship was the obvious choice for me!’

Jack Gawthorpe, 24, from Oldham liked the idea of accountancy and originally took part in BDO’s summer school programme. He completed his A levels and began his apprenticeship at BDO and is now a qualified accountant and an assistant manager in the audit team of BDO’s Manchester office.

After completing his apprenticeship Gawthorpe wants to continue his progression as he gains more experience and works on a wider variety of clients across multiple sectors. He enjoys working closely with his team and says it is the best part of the job, he also enjoys meeting new starters and helping to guide them through the same process he did and seeing them progress through the firm.

Matthew Bartkowski, 20, from Sidcup in London is a tax assistant at the firm and is currently studying with the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) to be a chartered tax advisor. He believes that choosing the apprenticeship route gave him the chance to get his foot in the door early having already accumulated three years of practical experience as well as working with peers who have helped him grow as an individual.

Bartkowski said: ‘Everyone I have come across is so genuine and excited to help you grow as an individual, its heart-warming. There has not been a single day where I have felt secluded or alone even working from home during Covid-19. I would never change my decision to do an apprenticeship!’

Jessica Bantock, 22, from Suffolk chose to studying business advisory through an apprenticeship with BDO. Having completed her AAT qualification in 2020 she is now only three exams away from becoming ACCA qualified. Bantock also said that gaining experience, an industry-recognised qualification and avoiding debt were the main reasons why she chose an apprenticeship.

Describing her experience at BDO, Bantock said: ‘Every day brings a new challenge and no two days are ever the same, I am constantly developing both professional and technical skills. I look forward to working in an ever-growing team at BDO.’

Juned Ahmed, 22, is an advisory digital audit trainee at BDO and aims to grow his knowledge in order to branch out into other areas within the audit sector. Ahmed chose this route as he believed that it allowed him to work and build a foundation in terms of his interpersonal skills at BDO.

Describing why he enjoyed his apprenticeship Ahmed said: ‘I appreciate the amount of support that is provided by BDO and my training provider. From the time that I have spent and interacted with my colleagues, there is a great emphasis on teamwork. There is always someone that I can reach out to if I need support with any of the work.’

Kiera Bowdidge, 21, from London joined KPMG’s software engineering degree apprenticeship programme after studying at university for one year. Bowdidge chose the route and believed it to be a great opportunity to obtain a prestigious university degree and gain industry experience while earning a salary and avoiding student debt.

She would like to specialise in front-end development working closely on user experience, and in her second year now she is also focused on career progression.

Bowdidge said: ‘I like the fact that KPMG hire a lot of apprentices, so you don’t feel like the most junior person in the office. There are so many opportunities to make friends and much like university, there are social benefits whether that be as a team, outside of work or while studying at university.’

James Boddie, 18, from Aberdeen chose to do KPMG’s audit apprenticeship programme as he believed that industry experience from a Big Four accountancy firm would be more beneficial than university. Boddie is focused on becoming a chartered accountant and progressing with KPMG after his apprenticeship.

Boddie said: ‘My apprenticeship allows me to live more independently, earning money while not having to depend upon my parents or take out a student loan. I’ve also felt part of a team from the off. All my colleagues have been really welcoming and supportive, even while having to work remotely during the pandemic.’

Jarir Rahmani, 21, joined the firm’s consulting KPMG 360° apprenticeship programme as he found the prospect of faster career progression that an apprenticeship offered was really appealing as he felt that if he did things separately it would take longer. He also finds it rewarding to apply what he is learning directly to his work day to day.  

Rahmani is working on becoming a qualified chartered accountant and would also like to pursue audit projects further as he finds that the nature of the apprenticeship means he gains exposure to different parts of the firm where he gets to work with a variety of people from a range of backgrounds across different projects.

Rahmani said: ‘The people are what makes my time at KPMG the most enjoyable and I’m learning from other peoples’ perspectives. Prior to joining the firm, I had an assumption that I would often be shadowing team members, but I’ve really been able to participate in conversations.’