Finding the right path when A-Levels don’t go to plan

When Gabriella Bracken started her AAT qualification journey, it gave her the tools and confidence to pursue her dream of becoming an accountant.

Gabriella Bracken finished her A-Levels in English language, psychology and law, but there was a problem. She knew she didn’t want to go to university and rack up debt or pursue these subjects. She didn’t really have a direction or passion that she wanted to follow.

Finishing her A-Levels was a huge achievement, but her lessons didn’t give her a spark of passion. She felt like she had to start again.

“For a while, I felt a bit aimless,” she says. “Then I found an apprenticeship in business administration at the University of Worcester in the IT department. My line manager was the procurement head for IT, so I worked on a lot of procurement contracts and learned how the finance system worked.

“I took on some extra responsibilities in Covid, when there were a lot of new computers being purchased to help people cope with home working, and a lot of IT equipment needed to be on hand right away.”

Bracken was an essential part of the shift to hybrid working and ended up working on site in order to take in deliveries and keep stock of equipment.

“I was dealing with inventory and shortages and working on my first year-end with the finance department,” she explains. “I realised I enjoyed the functionality, the patterns and recognising when I need to be ordering and raising purchase orders, and I thought that I would like to find a job in procurement.”

However, without formal qualifications, Bracken’s hands-on experience was not enough and she struggled to find another role after her apprenticeship finished.

“I went through a few jobs that I just really didn’t like, so I kept applying,” she recalls. “It was a bit demoralising and I signed up for agencies to try to find work. My parents were brilliant during this time and were really supportive because they understood how hard it was to find the right role.”

Finding the right role

After months of job hunting, Bracken eventually found a role as a finance administrator at Conference Aston, the hotel and conference centre at Aston University in Birmingham.

“After six months in that role, I was starting to understand the system and I had a discussion with my line manager about further qualifications and she mentioned AAT,” she explains. “We decided I should start an apprenticeship at Level 2.”

“My new role has meant that I have more responsibility and get involved with monthly forecasting and management accounting,” she says. “My line manager is 100% supportive if I need to take time to study, revise or sit exams.”

As she is an apprentice, Bracken sees a lot of crossover between what she is learning for her AAT studies and its practical application at work. She is also able to study within working hours, which means she has a better work-life balance. She is studying via distance learning and the Apprentice Academy uses books and resources from Kaplan, as well as online pre-recorded study videos and AAT resources for revision as well.

Finding a balance between work and study

“We are a conference centre and we deal with conference and hotel bookings,” she says. “I reconcile payments and organise the 90-day forecast. The finance system is part of the university, which has very complex finances.

“My favourite part of the role is figuring things out, understanding where things have gone wrong, and fixing them. It is a bit like looking at a puzzle. That’s why I like accountancy more than straight maths – you have to get to the bottom of something rather than just look at numbers.”

Bracken hopes to move on to AAT Level 4 and eventually chartered status.

Bracken’s tips for students:

• Stay positive: “When I was job hunting, it was quite demoralising and I received a lot of responses saying ‘you haven’t got the right qualifications’ or ‘you’re not quite what we’re looking for’. I also tried working at a few jobs that were really soul-destroying. It was difficult without a job or a routine, but I just kept trying.”
• Ask for help: “With my course, if I am really struggling, I can contact a tutor and ask for help.”
• Look online: “You can use AAT resources or go back and watch the learning module to help you revise.”
• Be confident: “Your AAT qualification is recognised and respected, and gives you an excellent grounding in skills that your future employers will be looking for.”

Marianne Curphey is an award-winning financial writer and columnist, and author of the book How Money Works. She worked as City Editor at The Guardian, deputy editor of Guardian online, and has worked for The Times, Telegraph and BBC.