Apprenticeships - Accountancy | Blackpool and The Fylde College

The job of Accountancy – earning money by counting money – is crucial in every line of business. From the smallest odd job, one-man-band to the biggest multinational corporation, properly prepared accounts are a necessary and legally required fact of life.

That means there are plenty of openings in all sorts of organisations for qualified Accountants. Especially in and around Blackpool where, as the regeneration project takes off, there will be dozens of new businesses springing up who’ll be anxious to secure your services.

As a trainee accountant studying for your AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) qualification, you’ll learn how to keep and balance books, prepare ledger balances, oversee credit and stock control systems, carry out audits and interpret statistics.

After your Apprenticeship

After you complete your Level 2 Apprenticeship, there is a world of possibilities for further qualifications at Advanced Apprenticeship and Foundation Degree level (including our own Foundation Degree in Accounting), plus other industry qualifications that can help you progress and specialise in the world of financial accounting.

Meet the Apprentice

Ben Drury, Age 22

When Ben discovered his sixth form didn’t have the resources to provide an Accountancy A level, he opted for an Apprenticeship with Blackpool and The Fylde College instead. Now studying for his Level 3 AAT qualification, Ben has been working with Moore & Smalley, one of the biggest accountancy practices in the North West for the last 12 months.

So, has an Apprenticeship been the right route for him? Absolutely!

“It’s been a bit of an ‘in at the deep end’ experience, but the whole team here at Moore & Smalley have been really helpful and supportive. I get much more of an insight into commercial life and how to apply my knowledge in a useful and practical way.”

And would he recommend it to anyone else considering accountancy as a career?

“Definitely. Learning while you receive a wage is the best of both worlds and because an AAT qualification gives you a ‘fast track’ to other qualifications, it means I can go for my ACA (Associated Chartered Accountants) qualification sooner and focus on my ambition to make accountancy my career.”

Meet the Boss

Mike Hardaker, corporate assistant , Moore and Smalley

Moore & Smalley is a recognised accountancy training practice with a commitment to Apprenticeships and work based learning. According to Mike Hardaker, it’s an approach that allows the practice to ‘mould’ trainees into the Moore & Smalley way of working, and provides qualified, competent staff at the end of their training period.

“We used to recruit trainees exclusively from universities, but now we draw from a broader base, including Level 3 AATs like Ben.”

Why?

“The AAT gives a good grounding in overall accountancy practice and makes good candidates for the ACA and ACCA (Associated Chartered Certified Accountants) exams. In fact, we take a couple of AATs each year and very often give them further training and sponsor them through their degrees.

“For us, it’s an investment in the future of the company and for them, it’s a golden opportunity to specialise in whichever direction their ambitions lie. That’s why we have such a good retention record with trainees. We don’t lose many once they have trained with us!”