ACCA’s Gemma Gathercole on accountancy apprenticeships

Can you tell us about your experience within accounting? 

I’m still a relative newcomer to accounting, having joined ACCA a little over two years ago. My role works with the association’s external partners and political engagement, so while I use ACCA’s insights work and member feedback in most of the conversations I have, I’m not a qualified accountant like some of my colleagues.

What is your role within ACCA and does your daily routine look like? 

My role is as strategic engagement lead for England, so I’m responsible for working with government and devolved regional authorities to raise the profile of ACCA both as an education and learning partner, but also to leverage the experience and expertise of its members in shaping policy and services that ACCA members use.

Has the association planned anything special for National Apprenticeship Week? 

For us, apprenticeships are one of a number of routes into a career in accountancy and finance that we want to champion year-round. This year, we’ve used our social media channels to both promote ACCA apprenticeships and to bust some myths about what it means to be an apprentice, and who that route is for. 

We’re also working with partner organisations to share understanding of apprenticeships with wider audiences, like this article with Success at Schools. Some of my favourite posts though have been some video case studies from ACCA Apprentices themselves sharing their experiences.

What are some of the top talent trends you are starting to notice for 2024? 

We’re starting to see more and more accountancy employers looking at new ways to fill their talent pipelines. We’ve been seeing a talent crunch across the country and that has affected the accountancy and finance sector, too. So, school leaver programmes and apprenticeships are excellent ways to get access to new talent.

ACCA recently published its Global Talent Trends 2024 report, which shows that the newest generation of talent – Gen Z – are more likely to put DE&I at the forefront of their job search, with 76% of this age group rating it as a key factor in their choice of organisation. 

We’re also seeing greater mobility in the accountancy workforce, with 54% of finance professionals expecting their next career move to be external to their current organisation. Employers need to embrace these insights and take steps to get access to and retain talent.

What do young people stand to gain from an accountancy apprenticeship?  

One of the biggest benefits of the apprenticeship programme is its flexibility. You can start an apprenticeship at any age or stage of your career when you’re entering a new role or progressing in your career and needing to learn significant new skills, knowledge and behaviours.

It’s also a structured programme that supports an apprentice’s learning, but also fits around the employer’s business needs, so the apprentice can earn and learn at the same time, but also be undertaking real work in their role that will help them develop the skills they’re learning on their apprenticeship.

Apprentices also develop the same skills and knowledge as someone studying for these qualifications the traditional way, but with the benefit of work experience, skills, behaviours and financial support from the government. So, there’s no right or wrong way to train, it’s what suits the individual and their employer.

In your opinion, are enough firms taking on apprentices, and why? 

Great question, and at the risk of sitting on the fence, I think the answer is yes and no. Yes, because each firm needs to make their own decisions about how they recruit and onboard new people into their business.

But also no, because we’re still hearing from the sector, both in practice and in industry and public sector, that they’re struggling to recruit enough talent and the right talent. So, I’d encourage all finance teams to look at apprenticeships as a way to expand their talent pool.

Is there anything new coming up for the association? 

This year we’re going to be focusing on sustainability and AI. These are areas of great interest to accountants. On sustainability, ACCA wants to work in the public interest to build confidence and create the conditions for thriving sustainable economies. We want to help organisations create, protect and report on the value they create for themselves, society, and the planet. AI brings big opportunities, challenges, and risks for accountants. We see that the accountancy profession with its focus on ethics and the public interest has a key role to play in driving trust in, and the ethical deployment of, AI.