Muhammad
I’m Muhammad an Accounting apprentice at Aston Group.
I am currently completing a Finance Apprenticeship as I want to become a chartered accountant, which has been my lifelong dream.
In January 2021, I attended a webinar conducted by Rachel Statter, the Social Value Manager, who later helped me get this apprenticeship.
This apprenticeship has given me the opportunity to work in accounting as well as gain a qualification. This experience enables me to complete the final stage of my qualification, which requires three years of work experience in the relevant field.
There is always a lot of study which needs to be covered, this takes extra effort as you always have to find time after work to study, which is something you have to force yourself to get used to.
My main day-to-day responsibilities are maintaining the purchase ledger, performing reconciliations, and preparing tax and CIS returns. I maintain the suppliers’ accounts. I ensure that all the invoices and payments are correctly posted on the system. I perform account reconciliations at the end of each month, making sure all the suppliers are paid accurately and on time. I also ensure, all the work is done correctly without errors so that an effective VAT return can be submitted every three months, I also liaise with creditors regularly for account-related queries.
Andrew, Finance Manager and Muhammad
I do feel a part of Aston Group, be it small, it is important to become that small cog, without which the machine fails to function. My Manager, Andrew, makes sure that everyone has the right amount of tasks that need to be worked on as a team. That makes me feel like I am a part of the team.
The best thing about being an apprentice is that you get to learn a lot of new things. Everyone is always on hand to help out with tasks that I am not familiar with. I have learned a lot of new things during this apprenticeship, and it has helped me grow into a professional.
The worst thing about an apprenticeship is the slow pace of study. The apprenticeship lessons take a very long time to finish as different people come from different educational backgrounds, due to which it takes a very long time to cover the syllabus.
Apprenticeships are a great way to learn new things. You can gain valuable experience while you earn your qualification. But it might not be for everyone, as it does require one to sacrifice their own time and focus on studies during the weekends.
For more information visit Apprenticeships and for more about National Apprenticeship Week 2023 click here.
“Since the start of my apprenticeship, I have been learning new things every day.
From a very young age I wanted to become a chartered accountant. This apprenticeship has given me the opportunity to achieve my lifelong dream. I have amazing mentors to support me and make me feel like I am a part of a team.
This has been one of the best opportunities I have ever had in my life and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for me”.
Becoming an apprentice ambassador
Aston Group like to offer a wide range of experiences as an apprentice ambassador during our apprenticeships, in order to boost personal confidence, widen their social skill set and promote apprenticeships. Muhammad has taken part in virtual school presentations talking about apprenticeships, and helped deliver our first Eid event in May 2021.
Muhammad is a prime example of not only how well our ‘Pipeline to Employment’ programme works, he also proves that apprenticeships can be a great opportunity for people of all ages.
