Jake Bird is an advisory associate and CIMA Level 7 apprentice at Grant Thornton UK LLP. He tells us why he chose to specialise in the public sector and how CIMA is helping him build a flexible career in business.
I’m in my first year at professional services firm, Grant Thornton. I did a placement year here as part of my degree in Business Analytics and really enjoyed it, so I knew the company was the right fit for me once I graduated.
I work in the Public Sector team advising clients in organisations like central government bodies, local authorities, and the NHS. My main focus is on financial modelling and analytics, supporting our clients with things like financing and bid evaluation.
Making an impact
I like working in the Public Sector team because I’m adding value to people’s lives through my work. I enjoy the logic and data part of my job, so I’ve got a great balance between helping people and doing work that I find interesting.
Why management accounting?
I’ve always enjoyed numbers and data and, through my degree, I knew I wanted to build a career focussing on analytics and strategy. I had friends who’d done other professional accounting qualifications, but they all seemed to focus on financial accounting, which I wasn’t interested in. When I first started at Grant Thornton, most graduates were doing a different professional qualification, but it didn’t seem like the right fit for me either.
After doing lots of research, I found that CIMA struck a better balance: it’s more focussed on management and enterprise and my employer was happy for me to pursue it. Management accounting is an important tool in the box to have because, at its core, it’s about learning how companies and organisations work. You get a broad understanding of business strategy and the importance of analytics.
Management accounting is an important tool in the box to have.
Choosing an apprenticeship after university
Although I had a business-related degree, I knew I wanted to do a professional qualification to give me the edge. Once I’d chosen to study for the CGMA Professional Qualification, I decided to do it through the CIMA Apprenticeship because it seemed like the most complete and well-rounded option. I like that I can study, get qualified and earn a salary too.
I like that I can study, get qualified and earn a salary too.
Supportive employer
Grant Thornton gives lots of support to apprentices, with a generous study leave allowance. The attitude is that work fits around study, rather than the other way around. They know how important our development is.
All apprenticeships are built on an 80% work, 20% study model. But that doesn’t mean spending one day each week at home with your textbooks. It includes relevant apprenticeship points under the framework, like off-the-job training in financial modelling. It’s relevant to my studies and relevant to my role, too.
Time to develop
I’d definitely recommend the CIMA Apprenticeship. It gives you the opportunity to have time to spend developing yourself. Learning on the job, in a work environment, but with time to study is invaluable.
An exciting future
Once I’ve completed my apprenticeship, I might take some time out to travel and live somewhere Spanish speaking to improve my language skills. CIMA makes having a portable career possible, because it’s an international qualification that’s recognised everywhere. The CIMA qualification is like a stamp of approval – it demonstrates you can do certain things and it’s a recognition of excellent business and finance skills.
In the meantime, I’m looking forward to getting a good stack of analytical skills and I’d love to focus on machine learning and AI later in my career. There’s an understanding that Grant Thornton offers you a permanent role once you’ve finished your apprenticeship, so I’m excited to see what the future holds.
I’d definitely recommend the CIMA Apprenticeship.It gives you the opportunity to have time to spend developing yourself. Learning on the job, in a work environment, but with time to study is invaluable.
