I went straight from A-levels into my AAT apprenticeship without taking a break, believing that maintaining study momentum made it easier to progress. Although I “loved AAT,” the overall apprenticeship was a long journey for me and I now feel ready for a change of study and the new challenge it has enabled for me by progressing to CIMA Level 7 in September.
Level 3 was particularly challenging for me. I failed one specific exam, FAPS (Financial Accounting: Preparing Financial Statements), three times. Falling behind the funding cut-off date created pressure and made me feel like I was “chasing a shadow” and trapped in a “vicious circle of sitting and failing”. At one point, I considered giving up on my studies altogether. After changing tutors to Kathryn and taking a six-week break, I restarted the material from the beginning and passed Level 3. Level 4 served as a major confidence booster because I passed every single exam on my first attempt. I was initially very nervous about taking DAIF (Drafting Financial Statements) because it built directly on FAPS. However, I allowed myself an extra month of preparation and passed on the first try. I succeeded in my goal of staying on track to complete Level 4 on time before the funding deadline.
Whilst studying the AAT Level 4 Apprenticeship, I also adapted to significant workplace changes, including relocating to a new office in Bristol, adopting a new software system (SAP), and operating without a direct line manager. I overhauled an overstated cost centre, cleared historical variances and aged debt, and reduced my month-end processing time from a full day down to just a few hours.
I achieved full AAT Level 4 status in August after meeting my deadlines to achieve within timescale, finalising my last synoptic exam and professional discussion by the end of July, paving the way to start CIMA (Level 7) in September.
My journey shows that determination and resilience achieve results when you just keep going!