The Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA®) designation provides a competitive edge for accounting and finance professionals worldwide.
As a supporter of the CGMA designation, National Grid, a leading energy company in the UK and the US, champions the aspirations of high-potential candidates by fully supporting their journey towards achieving the CGMA designation by sponsoring their employees financially.
National Grid’s New Talent Schemes — apprenticeships, graduate schemes, and industrial placements — offer opportunities to apply academic studies to the job in real-time. The benefit of apprenticeships is support from your employer and the ability to study while working. Theories come to life at work.
Ricky Lopez, ACMA, CGMA, started his journey with National Grid’s Industrial Placement (IP) scheme. Industrial placement students receive the same support as graduates/apprentices but have only a one-year placement and don’t study towards a qualification. ‘I wanted to gain practical experience during my studies’, Lopez explained. ‘The IP scheme allowed me to be immersed in a real-world finance environment and gain exposure to a company at the forefront of the energy transition’.
The CGMA designation provides a well-rounded skillset
Upon completing his mathematics degree at The University of Sheffield and finishing the Industrial Placement scheme, Lopez was offered a placement on National Grid’s Graduate scheme, where he continued his pursuit of gaining the CGMA designation.
‘The combination of the CGMA designation and the schemes at National Grid has provided me with a well-rounded skillset, enabling me to excel in my finance roles and contribute effectively to the organisation’, Lopez said. ‘National Grid’s Graduate scheme allowed me to rotate through various finance functions, with each role contributing to my understanding of how finance supports strategic decisions across the business’.
Balancing work and study
Flexibility in tailoring the exam schedule around professional commitments makes the CGMA designation uniquely accommodating.
‘The CGMA syllabus offers the flexibility to tailor the exam schedule to individual preferences. The study material directly correlated with my career, and the ability to apply and leverage that knowledge fuelled my enthusiasm for learning’, Lopez said. ‘It’s not easy, but with the right support and mindset, it’s absolutely achievable’, he said.
The practical approach allowed Lopez to accelerate his progress, completing both the Management and Strategic Levels of the CGMA designation within six months. ‘Although this pace isn’t the norm, the flexibility allowed me to advance at my own speed. It made the learning process both challenging and exciting’, he said.
A strong foundation for career advancement
National Grid's commitment to nurturing new talent is evident through its apprenticeships, graduate schemes, and industrial placements, designed to pave the way for aspiring CGMA designation holders and provide a robust foundation for career advancement.
Although National Grid Industrial Placement scheme students gain hands-on experience but don’t work towards a formal designation, apprentices and graduates can pursue the CGMA designation with ample resources and mentorship from National Grid while employed by the company.
National Grid ensures CGMA candidates have support from dedicated mentors to a cohort of buddies, as well as a community of Industrial Placement students, finance graduates, and apprentices who provide advice and share learnings.
‘They’ll also have a business coordinator who will provide guidance and coaching during their time on the scheme and a line manager who will support them during their time in each placement’, said Darren Pettifer, Group Financial Controller and New Talent Schemes sponsor at National Grid.
‘Having a support network of mentors and fellow graduates was instrumental in my success’, Lopez said. ‘Whether it’s advice on study techniques or managing work pressures, the community here is always willing to help’.
Practical learning with real-world impact
The CGMA syllabus equips students with skills directly applicable to their roles.
Lopez found that the most valuable aspect of working while studying for the CGMA designation was how the study material aligned with his day-to-day responsibilities.
‘I was able to apply the knowledge from my studies to my role, particularly in areas like performance management and strategic decision-making’.
Having studied maths, he found the CGMA designation beneficial in helping him understand the fundamentals of business management, organisational performance, and the role finance plays, from operations to strategy management.
‘The CGMA designation gives me the foundations and optionality to progress in different career avenues. I particularly enjoyed the focus on the future finance function and developing the necessary competencies to futureproof our skillsets’, Lopez said.
Professional growth with the CGMA designation
‘The CGMA designation has given me a broad understanding of business management, strategy, and finance. It’s not just about accounting; it’s about leadership and becoming a well-rounded finance professional’.
Confidently, he shared that the CGMA designation will continue to open doors for him professionally. ‘It’s a stepping stone to not only growing in my current role but also exploring new opportunities within finance at National Grid’.
Whether you are part of an apprenticeship or graduate scheme, working at National Grid, or pursuing the CGMA designation independently, Lopez advised aspiring CGMA designation holders to take on challenges and not to be afraid to make mistakes. ‘Dive headfirst into your journey. The CGMA designation will equip you with the skills to excel — not just today, but throughout your career’, he said.
Ready to take the next step? Learn more about how the CGMA designation can transform your future while working at National Grid or beyond.
To find out more about National Grid’s Finance Graduate Scheme, please visit the Graduate Development Programme page.
