Rhian is a former accounting apprentice who is now Finance Director at one of our employer partners, Clarity Business Travel. Read more about her career journey below.
Why was doing an apprenticeship the right option for you?
I did accounting through the apprenticeship route. It was my first introduction into finance after quitting drama school. There was a small training company located on my local high street and one day I just called in thinking, ‘I’m good at maths so maybe I should work in finance’.
How has your career progressed since?
The training company asked me to go for an interview at Lancashire Cricket Club and the next day I heard they offered me the job. I started there in February 2002.
When I first joined the cricket ground my role was predominantly accounts receivable, raising invoices for events. I did four days in the office and a day at college.
During this time I progressed through the AAT training and completed this as part of the apprentice programme, while picking up additional responsibilities in all aspects of the finance team. I gained the practical knowledge alongside the academic knowledge. For me this made developing my technical accounting knowledge easier as it was relatable to what I was doing on a day-to-day basis.
After completing the apprenticeship and AAT qualifications, the cricket ground supported me through the ACCA accounting courses. At this point a new finance director came into the business. He gave me lots of opportunities to take on additional work, including supporting with the financial accounts preparation and accruals prepayments. I was able to continue learning in a workplace where I was comfortable, with lots of good people around me.
After a 20 years, I moved to Clarity Business Travel. I initially started as Head of Finance, with a team of five accountants and I was responsible for statutory and management reporting.
At the end of 2023, we acquired Agiito, another travel management company and in early 2024, I was promoted to Finance Director. I am now responsible for the combined finance team which is approximately 150 people.
How did your apprenticeship enable your progression?
The apprenticeship was the foundation to my career. It allowed me to develop technical expertise along with practical experience, which gave me a solid base for future success.
What skills or knowledge did you learn in your apprenticeship that you still use now?
I still use T accounts now when there a complex accounting transaction I need to fathom. The apprentice programme was more than just the training though. Having never worked in an office environment, it also helped to develop me professionally.
How do you feel now, looking back on your career journey so far?
I am proud of where I have come, and I’m still hungry for more. I’m very thankful for the opportunities I was given and the key people around me during my journey. I worked hard, I asked lots of questions, and I was helpful to others. The apprenticeship and mentors around me helped stay focused and created an environment where I could make mistakes and learn from them.
What would your advice be to others who are thinking about doing an apprenticeship?
Go for it! Ask loads of questions and get as much exposure to all aspects of business as you can. Learn from others around you.