What was your journey into an apprenticeship like?

At 17, I completed my A-Levels in Mathematics, Further Mathematics, and Chemistry. Straight after finishing school, I trained in badminton full-time as a national team player.

After a year, I decided to pursue higher education and enrolled at the University of Nottingham to study mathematics. Evidently, I’ve always had a passion for numbers! Studying maths always came quite easily for me and the discipline that I developed by playing badminton full-time at a professional level really supported my studies, as it helped me to manage my time and maintain my focus during my degree.

While at university, I reached a milestone in my badminton career – I became the number one ranked men’s singles badminton player in the UK. That achievement led me back to training full-time as a professional athlete for two more years.

Eventually, I decided to retire from professional sport. I wanted to move into a career where I could continue learning and use my mathematics abilities, analytical skills, and personal discipline in a meaningful way. I had a range of options to consider, and it took some time to figure out the right direction.

Why did you choose accountancy?

Through a lot of reflection and research, I realised I was looking for a profession that offered clear progression, the chance to develop deep expertise, and the opportunity to make a real impact and help people.

I did a lot of self-reflection on my values, and a lot of research into how my career could progress. I knew that I wanted to master a skill and become an expert in a particular field which offered clear career progression, as well as the opportunity to help people. So, taking into account everything I was looking for, accountancy really stood out for me the perfect fit.

How are you getting on in your role now?

I’m happy to say that I have now been in my role for 10 months and have completed nine exams in that time. The pace is fast, but I’m always learning, whether in the classroom or on the job. The sense of progress is pretty much constant, which is something I really value.

I currently work in the Audit and Accounts team at Mercer & Hole. It’s important to be able to pick up processes quickly and learn to work as a team. The people I have worked with so far have been great at guiding and challenging me.

For all the studying and exams, you will need resilience and discipline, however, passing the exams is very rewarding and everything you learn will be useful for the work you will be doing day-to-day.

With the flexible hours that Mercer & Hole provide I can still play and coach badminton alongside my work and study. I plan to keep this up throughout my apprenticeship but, ultimately, my goal for the future is to work in forensic accounting.

Do you have any advice for someone seeking an internship in accountancy?

My advice that I would give to people considering a career in accountancy would be to try to understand and appreciate the hard work required to succeed. It takes a lot of consistency to be able to pass your exams and keep on top of everything you need to learn but, for me, it’s ultimately been so worth it.

Another thing I would highlight to anyone going into accountancy as a career is the importance of trying to find a company at which you feel comfortable. This is incredibly helpful for your career and for developing (and maintaining!) a positive outlook on the profession – it’s already been super helpful for me.