Why I recommend an apprenticeship with the audit team | Apprentice
· Posted on: January 31st 2024 · read
Meet Ammar Adam
Ammar has been with the firm for a year and joined under our apprenticeship programme as an audit assistant.
Ammar is based in our Preston office and talks about why he would recommend an apprenticeship and why it was the perfect move for him. He begins: “I studied accounting, statistics and economics at Cardinal Newman College in Preston and was made aware of the apprenticeship programme at MHA through my teacher who highly recommended the firm to me."
“I’ve been with the firm for a year now and it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made."
“I applied when applications opened in October, I was offered my apprenticeship in November and I could then focus on my A-Levels knowing that I had secured my employment with the firm.”
Now he has joined the firm and with a year under his belt, we ask Ammar what the training has been like. Ammar continues: “There is a lot of on the job training available, from audit specific training to big team building exercises with our whole audit team of more than 150 people.
“In addition as part of my apprenticeship I’m able to study for my AAT and then once I am qualified, I can then look to become chartered as well through the firm.
Now that Ammar is settled into life at the firm, we ask him if there was anything surprising that he found since joining. He continues: “The social aspect was very surprising, I’m not sure what I expected, but I know that I didn’t expect there to be such a great social life attached to working here.
“It’s certainly been a very pleasant surprise and has helped me massively to settle in and also helped hugely with team building with my colleagues.”
“I feel lucky that I have very supportive managers and the communication is really good, we have regular catch ups and then a much bigger monthly meeting as well, so I feel that their door is always open, which is really important when you join as an apprentice, as you have so much to learn and ask.”
“I’ve been with the firm for a year now and it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made."
“Get stuck in. Be up for the challenge, ask questions and be enthusiastic."
“Overall I’d describe working here as having a very healthy work life balance.”
And how have you found juggling work, studies… and that social life? “There have been more ups than downs.
“There are times when you are really busy, but it’s peaks and troughs and the firm give you plenty of time to revise. I usually spend a couple of hours a week revising. Then you also have nights out, usually on a Friday night and everyone in the team tends to go!
Attention turns to the future and where Ammar sees himself in five-years-time? He says: “I’m very focused on getting my AAT, and from there I want to focus on becoming chartered.
That will be the next three years and then see where life takes me from there. However, I can definitely see myself staying here for the long-term.”
Finally the conversation concludes with Ammar being asked what advice he would give to his younger self and to describe the firm in one word…
“Get stuck in. Be up for the challenge, ask questions and be enthusiastic."
“As for describing the firm in one word…supportive.”
Outside of work Ammar is a passionate football fan and is a supporter of Manchester United. He also enjoys partaking in Muay Thai.
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