Apprenticeships are making inroads in Whitehall as they create an impact in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS).

The average person might be 50 times more likely to be struck by lightning than win the National Lottery, but somewhere within the corridors of Whitehall, one young charge believes he’s already hit the jackpot.

As part of his apprenticeship at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), Piranavan Kaneshamoorthy works on the National Lottery Distribution Fund, reporting on ticket sales income and ensuring payments are made to good causes. It’s a stimulating job that sees the 24-year-old get a real buzz every time he walks into the grand London building.

A decade or so ago, apprentices were a rarity in the civil service. Back then, the institution had a reputation for being somewhat stuffy, with incoming talent most likely to be Oxbridge-educated graduates.

However, since the civil service launched its fast-track apprenticeship scheme in 2013, it’s earned a reputation as being one of the UK’s most progressive employers – three years ago it took on its first intake of apprentice economists. Over 29,000 apprentices have been recruited across the civil service since the scheme started.

Employing youngsters from all walks of life can be a game-changer for boosting the diversity of an organisation, providing a broader range of opinions that can help prevent groupthink. “By boosting the diversity of the team, apprentices really do bring a fresh approach,” says Mark Mawtus, a financial accountant working at DCMS.

There are currently three finance apprentices working at DCMS, with Mark noting that “apprentices are usually taken on as full-time staff”. It chimes with his view that “apprentices build capability in the team and department – they’re a great long-term investment.”

In the short term, however, apprentices can provide benefits for an organisation, not least by employing their tech knowledge in the workplace.

“The pandemic has accelerated a move from paper (or part paper) processes to fully digital ones and accordingly we’ve looked at how we can make our processes more efficient,” says Mark. “Piranavan is an expert with many of the Google apps (Sheets, Docs and Forms) and has taken the lead in designing forms that those responsible for the information can complete, in order to efficiently update our accounting records. He also ensures the quality of the information provided, and the maintenance of controls over the quality of the information provided…”

Apprentices are required to spend 20% of their time in off-the-job training. This is usually conducted a via a training provider, where they are exposed to the latest industry trends and knowledge. When they deploy these freshly-learned skills in the office, the benefits are immediate. Shortly after studying a module in accruals at training providers Babington, Piranavan returned to DCMS and subsequently designed a DCMS journal for accruals.

It’s just one of many ways that Piranavan has impressed colleagues since he joined the department in October 2019. In particular, Mark is awed by Piranavan’s “ability to successfully study for exams with holding down a different job at the same time.”

Piranavan joined DCMS after a frustrating experience studying maths at university, where he felt unable to apply the knowledge he was picking up in books to real-life scenarios. “The course was focused on ethics and theory, but I wasn’t exercising this outside the classroom,” he remembers. Working at DCMS is completely different. “From my very first day, I’ve constantly been learning, but also getting to practice what I’m studying,” says Piranavan.

He’s also part of a steering group for the civil service’s apprenticeship network, a role that sees him plan events plus give guidance to new apprentices.

His eagerness to get involved also highlights the commitment many apprentices apply to their roles. “Once they start a job, apprentices are keen to be seen to be able to finish it, and that is best done by finishing the full period of their apprenticeship,” says Mark.

This loyalty is also underscored by Piranavan’s wish to stay with DCMS once his apprenticeship finishes in spring 2023: he has plans to become a senior financial accountant and manage others.

Mark has no doubt Piranavan can achieve this. “In five years’ time, I’d expect Piranavan to be managing a team of some size, depending upon how well he does with the department or whether we have managed to keep him.”

Mark’s advice to fellow bosses is simple: “Definitely consider apprenticeships. The day-to-day benefits are clear, and if you get the right balance, the apprentices will stay at your organisation long after they finish the scheme.”

Danielle Walmsley Azets talks about how apprenticeships have boosted business – and her own career.

Everybody knows the role of an apprentice involves learning – but not everyone expects apprentices to be making an impact by solving pressing business problems, bringing colour to company culture or ascending to lofty roles.

But in the Coventry office of accountancy firm Azets, Partner Danielle Walmsley regularly sees apprentices developing innovative solutions for problems encountered by senior colleagues and generally making an impact.

“We definitely see our apprentices as future leaders,” says Danielle. “Any growing business needs to be investing in this.”

Azets currently has a network of over 160 offices in the UK and internationally. Having become a top ten accountancy firm just 18 months ago, the firm views apprentices as playing an significant role in its expansion plans, employing over 400 apprentices nationwide. In an industry where recent research has shown nearly three-quarters (74%) of accounting firms are suffering because of a lack of skilled workers, apprentices can be a long-term strategic investment.  

“I started as an apprentice. Now I’m a partner managing them and constantly seeing the benefit they bring.”

One area they are making their presence felt is in technology.

“As we adapt to new software, occasionally some of the apprentices ask, ‘Why are you doing that when you could be using this [system/app/hack], which could save you hours of time?” says Danielle.

It’s a big boon for Azets, especially as the company and its clients – just like many other businesses during the pandemic – are in the process of speeding up their digital transformations.

“This new generation are like a sponge when it comes to new technology: you can just give them a new system, and they’ll get their head around it instantly,” says Danielle. “As accountancy goes digital, and we teach our clients to do the same, the skillsets these apprentices have right now will be invaluable. Also, because apprentices are immersed in the nuts and bolts of the company from the very outset of their careers, they develop an innate understanding of how that firm works.

“When apprentices combine their on-the-job training with a hard work ethic and professionalism, you’ll often find that they progress much quicker than graduates,” says Danielle. “Putting accounting knowledge into practise within a working environment often yields great results when you’ve learned it from day one, hands-on within the company itself.”

Danielle believes Azets’ young apprentices benefit the firm in other ways too.

“Our company culture is thriving because of our apprentices,” she says. “They bring a breath of fresh air, helping to create a team environment by making people more upbeat and happier, having a laugh and a joke. They’re also really proactive about socialising, getting involved with team-building, volunteering and social committees.”

Danielle knows all too well about the advantages of accounting apprentices: she was previously one herself. In 2008, Danielle gingerly stepped into Azets’ Coventry office as a 16-year-old apprentice, having already decided not to study A-Levels.

“It was a shock; I’d gone from pocket money to earning a £7,500 salary,” she remembers. Within two years, Danielle had moved from living with mum and dad, to buying her own home. Career-wise, her progression was just as rapid.  

“As Azets grew, I grew with it, going from an office junior making cups of tea to being a partner of a large office, managing my own client bank and bringing in new apprentices,” she says. Part of Danielle’s wide-ranging remit today includes managing several of the Coventry office’s 25 apprentices (the office takes on three to four apprentices every year).

The new apprentices at Azets are typically school-leavers, starting at AAT Level 2 and reaching Level 4 after 18 months. During this time, they’ll get exposure to Azets’ clients, plus learn about tax returns, VAT and corporate tax. After that, they can progress to Level 7 through ACA. However, the primary goal for Azets, just like many other firms offering apprenticeships, is for the apprentices to join the firm as accountants one day.

“Our intention is for the apprentices to be our employees; they’re not just there for the term of their apprenticeship, and that’s it. One-third of our roles are filled with internal promotions,” says Danielle, who notes most of the trainees remain with the firm.

Helping apprentices realise their full potential may require some inspirational management. Having role models within the firm who they aspire to be like – is invaluable. says Danielle.

“We provide apprentices with regular support by offering constant feedback and refreshing their continuing professional development (CPD).”

This feedback process can help nudge them towards success. “Sometimes apprentices don’t see their progression because they’re just doing their job,” says Danielle. “It’s only when you sit apprentices down and say, ‘Last month when you started this job, you couldn’t do this task but now you’re helping others on it’, that it makes sense and they get a confidence boost.”

“Because we view our apprentices as future leaders, I want to be involved with them on a day-to-day basis and ensure they’re on the right path,” says Danielle. “It’s worth it: if you invest the time, they’ll support you for as long as their career continues.”

Further information

AAT

For help and assistance in setting up an apprenticeship go to our apprenticeship pages.

Azets

For more information about trainee routes in audit, tax, forensics or corporate finance, as well as current opportunities, visit the careers section.

Apprentices proved how they can have an immediate impact as an NHS finance team faced its greatest challenge

Spring 2020: the first few weeks of the pandemic saw the NHS flung into the biggest crisis of its six-decade history. As medics risked their lives protecting patients in the face of this new mysterious menace, the finance teams supporting these healthcare heroes also underwent unprecedented challenges to their jobs. Suddenly, they were thrown into military-style operations: totting up supplies (or lack thereof) of much-needed PPE, calculating the costs of shutting services for safety issues, dealing with payroll changes – all following a long-lasting public sector funding squeeze.

This was a time when apprentices came to the fore demonstrating beyond doubt the value they can add to organisations while still studying for their qualification.

“It was hell,” recalls Sue Lyddon, finance workforce manager, University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB), NHS Foundation Trust. “We were relocating staff to work on the frontline, working incredibly long hours and dealing with worries about staff welfare – all at a time when we were delivering year-end accounts and bringing two different hospitals together.”

In her team at UHB, Sue employs 35 apprentices, taking on 8-12 new apprentices a year, employing “nearly all of them,” she notes.

Yet, Sue was impressed with the practical impact they had. “They were really important [to our operations],” says Sue. “The pandemic left many finance departments short-staffed; meaning we had to temporarily relocate apprentices. But they were great: they rocked up every day, ready to take on the challenges and get involved… There were some real stars to come out of this period.”

One such star is 20-year-old Harry Wright. The 20-year-old joined UHB as an AAT Level 3 apprentice in September 2019 shortly after finishing his A-levels at a nearby Solihull sixth-form. He’s since had two promotions and currently works as a senior financial management assistant. It’s a role that sees him carry out tasks above that of an average accounting apprentice: a typical day may see Harry visiting a trauma or orthopaedic ward, or meeting ward managers and matrons to discuss where their departments could slash costs.

“Working in management accounts involves identifying savings; I get to meet budget-holders to discuss ideas for savings, which helps reinvest money in other areas of the business,” says Harry (who was temporarily drafted to work in the payroll team in March 2020). “It’s tasks like this where junior apprentices can have a real impact.”

Sue has no qualms about Harry meeting senior stakeholders. “Harry is my PR star,” she enthuses. “He’s incredibly good at public speaking. I can put him in front of an audience and he’s very confident. Harry has represented the team at a recruitment fair and given a speech to my new cohort of apprentices.” The young apprentice has developed such an aptitude for accounting that Sue says she has “no hesitation in picking up the phone and saying, ‘Harry, what do you think about this?’”

Apprentices can make particularly effective sounding-boards when it comes to recruitment, says Sue: “The apprentices are great at bringing in new ideas; I’ll often ask them for their input and honest opinion if I’m looking to bring in somebody new.”

Sue views apprentices as playing an integral role in building a management pipeline within her team. “We’ve had senior accountants who have suddenly become managers and couldn’t do it,” says Sue. “But if you get junior apprentices to look after any new cohorts coming in, it’s a clear pathway and the chance for them to gain some great all-round skills.”

Indeed, Harry – who currently acts as a ‘buddy’ to younger apprentices – has set his sights on a management role. “Management is definitely something I’m aspiring towards,” he says. “There are a couple of managers here not much older than me. After I’ve studied ACA and my apprenticeship has finished, I’d like to work my way higher up the organisation.”

In 2017 the government started asking large public bodies employing more than 250 employees to ensure that 2.3% of its staff are apprentices. This has helped reshape recruitment in the NHS, armed forces, and civil service.

But Sue’s team started even earlier. Her department began taking on apprentices in 2014, a time when it was struggling to recruit local talent. “We realised that finance wasn’t attracting the local community,” she remembers. “We’ve got lots of competition in the area: Jaguar Land Rover, plus all the businesses in Birmingham. However, when we went live with the first apprenticeship, we were inundated with applications…”

There are other benefits of filling an office with apprentices. “It’s injected new life into the organisation,” says Sue. “We’re a very young team now, which helps all of us look at things differently.”

She also refutes the belief – held by some business-leaders – that it could take many years for an apprentice’s impact to be felt within the organisation. “You’ll see the benefits within the first few weeks,” says Sue. “When you’ve got an apprentice who’s really switched on, it makes such a difference. Starting an apprenticeship isn’t straightforward, but once it’s up-and-running, it runs itself. The benefits we’ve gained from investing into our apprentices has been returned tenfold.”

The success of the apprenticeship scheme in her department means that Sue is looking at expanding it, perhaps creating a two-tier approach, incorporating both school-leavers and graduates.

If any bosses are undecided about whether to recruit apprentices, Sue advises, “I would speak to somebody in another organisation. If you try to go it alone and wade through the paperwork, you’d never get anywhere…”

In the meantime, Harry is understandably proud that his job is helping to make a difference.

“I know we’re not patient-saving heroes [in finance] but we’re all part of the same machine. When you work at the NHS, everybody knows who they are. It’s a real privilege to work for them.”