CIMA® offers apprenticeships to applicants living in England that enable people from different backgrounds to gain real-world accounting experience. As part of a learning journey towards a professional qualification, the CIMA's Apprenticeship allows you to work in finance — and make money — whilst pursuing your dream.
Elise Rolfe is a trainee management accountant at an accountancy firm based in Lincoln, England. Her focus is preparing accounts for various businesses, gaining audit experience, and participating in forecasting and outsourced finance services. Elise shared how CIMA's Apprenticeships helped her move into a career she enjoys:
Elise Rolfe knows first-hand the benefit of CIMA's Apprenticeships.
In 2018, Elise graduated from Keele University with a first in mathematics. She considered a few careers, from becoming an actuary to working in betting to finding a role in education; ultimately, she taught maths.
After four years as a teacher, however, Elise found that it was not the job she wanted for life. She realised that career paths aren’t paved in stone — she had the power to pursue a career that challenged her mind and offered variety in daily tasks.
She decided to study and qualify as an apprentice. Management accounting had always intrigued her and, with the strength of her degree in maths and teaching experience, she felt confident to pursue a prestigious accounting qualification.
Elise discovered that studying for the CGMA designation motivated her and allowed her to pinpoint what she’d enjoy doing in her career. Taking the objective tests and case study exams in the CGMA syllabus gave her confidence because she could see that she was learning more every day.
CIMA's Apprenticeships guided her growth and allowed her to pace her studies — she could choose when and where to study. Her employer supported her studies and was required to set aside 20% of the workweek for Elise to take Kaplan classes and prepare for tests during working hours.
CIMA’s Apprenticeships in England
Employers around England hire for professional accounting technicians and accountancy professionals. Many companies seek to hire ambitious job applicants.
Your first step is to seek employment in accounting and finance and ask if the employer supports a Level 4 professional accounting technician apprenticeship or Level 7 accountancy professional apprenticeship. If you already have a job in finance, ask your boss if they would support your pursuit of a qualification as a Level 4 apprentice or Level 7 apprentice.
Elise offers this advice: ‘For anyone in a job they’re not enjoying — change! You’re there eight hours a day, every day for the rest of your life. If you’re losing the light at the end of the tunnel, then do something about it. The days of 60-year careers in one job are over. The age of fulfilling, personalised careers that change to suit you as you learn and grow is here.’
