I have worked for Leighton for 19 months now and have successfully passed the first year of my apprenticeship with a Merit in Level 2 AAT Accounts at 89%.

Although I am very proud of myself for what I have achieved, I would not have been able to do this so confidently without the help of my team at Leighton. The team have always supported both my work life and study, offering help and guidance where possible.

I chose to go down the route of an apprenticeship to allow me to gain the experience of a working environment while still learning and enhancing my skills. Accounts has been something I’ve wanted to pursue since I first started secondary school, so to now be in a working environment while studying towards my qualification is a real success of mine. The hands-on experience of the job plays a massive part on how easily I have been able to grasp the study criteria at AAT. As Leighton is a smaller business it has allowed me to work the full process of accounts from beginning to end, which has really helped when it comes to exams.

Despite being the youngest member of the team, Leighton’s “canny family” have made me feel welcome from the start. Everyone is so easy to speak to, whether it be work related or personal life issues, there’s always a friendly face when you need one. Over my time here colleagues have really helped me build confidence in myself and what I do.

Studying and taking exams can be a lot of pressure, especially when the qualification is key to the role you’re working towards, but the team have made me feel at ease and supported no matter the outcome. Everyone is always behind me to either help put me on the right track or celebrate a success.