How opting out of university at the last minute became my best decision yet

Ollie, an apprentice at Mazars, has no regrets after taking on the apprenticeship route to becoming a Chartered Accountant.

I started working at Mazars in July 2018, aged 17, just 2 weeks after finishing my A-Level exams. Most apprentices start in September, but I was asked to start a little earlier. My whole adult life has been spent here at Mazars, including celebrating both my 18th and 21st birthdays here – I could not be happier about that!

Throughout most of my time at college, my mind was set on going to university to study Economics and Business. I completed my UCAS application and received conditional offers at all five universities that I had applied to.

In April 2018, my mind changed completely.

Around a month before my first A-Level exam, I was watching a game of Rugby (Rugby League – the better code) and I was struggling to imagine studying for another 3 years at university, to graduate without a job and with a sizeable debt. It was at that point, I decided to apply for an apprenticeship.

I did not have much knowledge of the accounting industry at the time, nor the various service lines, so I googled “UK Top Accountancy Firms” and went from there. Before applying, I read through the reviews on ?Student Room. A review about Mazars stuck out –

“whilst Mazars is a large firm, it still has the feel of a small firm with a caring culture”.

I applied to Mazars through their website, interviewed in early June 2018, and started a month later.

The first 6 months were challenging, adjusting to the professional office environment (I had previously worked part-time in retail whilst at college – a stark contrast to a professional service firm!), and learning the basics of accounting, but I found my feet and began to take on responsibility for some client work.

I am a Client Advisor in the SME team, which is part of the Accounting & Outsourcing Service Line at Mazars. My team provides a range of services to our clients – Management Accounts, Statutory Accounts, Corporate Tax Returns, VAT Returns, Personal Tax Returns, and Advisory work. By providing all services in one team, we can deliver a seamless client experience. I enjoy working with SMEs as I feel I can make a positive contribution to the growth of a small business, whilst allowing the directors to focus on the business without worrying about the finances.

Approaching 4 years at Mazars, I have completed the AAT Level 3 qualification in part, AAT Level 4 qualification (I am now able to use the postnominal “MAAT”) and the ACA Certificate level. I passed all my exams first time and have a few left until I am a Chartered Accountant. There are a set number of study days for each exam (either online classrooms or in-person), with an additional annual allowance that can be taken when I choose.

“A highlight of my time at Mazars so far is the level of client responsibility that I have been trusted with”

I manage a portfolio of our Financial Outsourcing clients and have built strong relationships with members of staff and the directors of these clients. Client responsibility is not assumed and is built up over time, through delivering consistent high-quality work and positive relationships.

Additionally, I am one of a handful of “experts” on various cloud software, including Spotlight Reporting (a management reporting and forecasting software), anI’s seen as a “go-to” by colleagues around the country should they have any queries.

I have had some great experiences outside of the office with colleagues, including partaking in fundraising challenges. In September 2021, several employees entered the Manchester 10k / Half Marathon. I fundraised for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, and colleagues fundraised for Young Minds. We celebrated afterward which cemented the feeling of togetherness.

My top tips to anybody applying for an apprenticeship:

1. Research ?and apply for the firm(s) that you can imagine yourself working in
2. Ask questions – the “silly” questions are often the best!
3. Build a strong relationship with your line manager – an open and honest relationship will bolster your development

My overall apprenticeship experience has been brilliant, and I’d encourage others to consider apprenticeships over university.

Find out more and apply for apprenticeship opportunities across all our service lines at Mazars