I joined Newby Castleman as a trainee after completing A-Level Maths, Business and ICT at Melton Vale Sixth Form College. I have always had an eye for numbers and decided at the age of 15 that a career path in accountancy was something that I wanted to pursue.

The accounting industry is vast, and from my research it was evident that no company was the same. However, it was from the outset that Newby Castleman were able to offer exactly what I wanted; an apprenticeship with the opportunity to study the ACA qualification whilst gaining experience of working with a range of clients in different industries.

There is a great working environment here at Newby Castleman. From my first day in the Leicester office, it was evident that my new colleagues were approachable and willing to offer help when required. This made me feel comfortable and supported from day one.

Over the course of my apprenticeship, working at Newby Castleman has given me many opportunities to develop my knowledge and gain experience in the workplace. I started in the accounts department preparing accounts, which I thoroughly enjoyed. After a couple of years, I felt I needed a new challenge and after discussion with one of the partners I have been given more of a hybrid role, working for both the accounts department and the audit department. Being part of the audit team has given me the opportunity to build new relationships, see how different businesses operate and apply the knowledge gained in my ACA studies to real life scenarios.

If you are interested in taking the apprenticeship route into the world of accountancy, I would highly recommend it, as it allows you to gain on the job experience whilst studying towards a professional qualification. Studying alongside working full-time, and trying to fit in a social life, can be tough at times, but finding a routine that works for you helps to keep you motivated in all aspects of your life.

There are plenty of opportunities at Newby Castleman to get involved with your colleagues on a social level in events held during the year such as, quizzes, car treasure hunts and sporting activities, which are all great fun!

I have recently qualified as a Chartered Tax Advisor (CTA) under the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT). As a qualified CTA I will be working independently on both private client tax compliance as well as advisory services specialising in Inheritance Tax, trusts and estates.

I have always had a head for numbers and logical problems and coming from a family of chartered accountants I have been surrounded by those in the finance sector from a young age. I completed A level Economics, Business, and Maths and AS level Further Maths at school and went on to start an Economics and Accounting degree at the University of Leicester. After my first year I chose to take the more practical route and study as I work through an Association of Tax Technicians (ATT) apprenticeship.

I researched top accountancy firms in the county and looked through any training vacancies available. Newby Castleman was the first firm I applied to. Working and studying has given me the in-house experience as well as working towards both the ATT and CTA qualifications.

With my parents being Chartered Accountants and my sister being an auditor I knew I also wanted to go into the finance sector but I didn’t want to take the same qualifications as the rest of my family. Tax is an ever-changing sector that involves a logical approach with many different areas in which I can differentiate and specialise.

My first year was spent learning the basic fundamentals of processing and completing tax returns and studying for my first three ATT exams. I’ve enjoyed taking knowledge that I’m learning through my ATT course and applying it to my everyday role at Newby Castleman. I was given my own client allocation which gave me a sense of responsibility at the start of my career and allowed me to enhance my knowledge and confidence.

In January 2020, two years after joining Newby Castleman I qualified as an ATT after passing all six exams. I knew I wanted to progress and take on more responsibility so Newby Castleman offered me the chance to progress onto the CTA qualification.

Over the last two years I have been undertaking the CTA exams whilst Newby Castleman have given me more opportunities within my day-to-day role to support the topics of study and allowing me to specialise in my area of interest; Inheritance Tax, trusts and estates.

I am involved in both tax advisory services as well as private client tax compliance including individuals, partnerships, sole traders and high net worth individuals and am now responsible for a full portfolio of clients. The opportunities provided by Newby Castleman have allowed me to gain prestigious qualifications with both the ATT and CIOT as well as supporting my career and experience in specialist areas of tax.

I would recommend the apprenticeship route for anyone looking for a qualification in the financial sector as you are able to apply the content of your studies to your day-to-day role and use the expertise of colleagues to support your exam.

I joined Newby Castleman after graduating from university. I chose to study to become an Associate Chartered Accountant and progressed through the audit team to my current role as Head of Audit.

Since joining the firm, I have been supported and encouraged by Newby Castleman in my studies and career progression. I particularly enjoy the team environment here, with each department being approachable when assistance is needed.

I also enjoy being involved in the social activities organised by the firm, which range from quiz nights to car treasure hunts. Newby Castleman also supports many local charitable events and I am team captain for the firm in The Rotary Club of Oadby’s annual Swimarathon.

As Head of Audit, I am responsible for overseeing the audit department. This involves staff allocation, scheduling of audit timescales, monitoring of job progression, review of audit files and overseeing the completion and sign-off of audits. Another aspect of my role is to assist audit team members, ensuring that they are given opportunities to develop their knowledge and gain experience. I particularly enjoy this part of the role, having worked under managers who helped me to develop and progress to my current role.

I joined Newby Castleman after reading an article in a newspaper about the firm and applied for a trainee position. From day one I was made to feel welcome. Everyone was friendly and made a real effort to make me feel part of the team.

I started studying for my AAT almost straight away and really enjoyed learning accountancy skills and putting this into practice at work. I passed level 3 after my first year and completed level 4 the following year. This meant that I was AAT qualified in less than 2 years of joining the firm. I subsequently spoke to the training partner about furthering my qualification and I was told that Newby Castleman would support me in any route that I wished to pursue.

After much discussion with colleagues I chose to study ACCA as I felt that it would best suit my personal requirements. I also liked the idea of being able to obtain a University degree through the ACCA after my professional exams were completed. The ACCA exams took three years to complete in comparison to AAT at two years. Newby Castleman were excellent with regards to my all round study support giving study days for college and study/holiday leave before the actual exams. They were very aware of how important it was to me to be able to have time off to concentrate purely on my exams in the days and sometimes weeks beforehand.

I find the accounts work I do very interesting and stimulating and have dealt with many different clients and I have also been involved in stocktakes and audits. Most recently I have been involved in charity independent examinations and taking care of the admin side of accountancy which involves completing tasks on behalf of clients. Expanding my knowledge keeps me highly motivated.

There are chances to get involved with your colleagues on a social level at various events that are held occasionally by members of staff; pub crawls, quizzes, even days out and short breaks away for the weekend. There are also student events, mostly held by LENCASS, an accountancy body which allows many trainees to get together for large social events. Other events include networking with other businesses at various social gatherings.