As part of Apprenticeship Week, we caught up with some Jacksons apprentices to find out how they were enjoying their roles and courses.
Today, Alayna Johnson, 25, from Ingleby Barwick, a finance apprentice, shares her story.
Alayna Johnson, who is laser-focused on her work towards becoming a chartered accountant, had a very personal reason for choosing the apprenticeship route.
Alayna had taken a break from education and training to care for her mother, when she had two knee replacements during covid.
Alayna said: “My father works away and wasn’t able to come home during covid, so it was up to me and my sister to help my Mum.
“She is fine now – she is over in America with my Dad – but after being out of education and training for a while, the structure of doing an apprenticeship, working at the firm four days per week and studying on the other day, appealed to me.
“The structure the apprenticeship offers has enabled me to progress a great deal in my career.”
As it is for many apprentices, the draw of being able to “earn while you learn” also appealed.
Alayna has been at Jacksons for a year now and is just about to sit her final Level 2 exam.
Thanks to the hands on experience she has gained while being on the finance team at Jacksons, Alayna says she is “feeling quite confident” about the exam.
“It will be an overview of what I’ve learned so far and I have fared quite well on the academic side because of the support I have had at Jacksons,” she says.
“This support has been invaluable – and being an apprentice has been life-changing.
“It’s helped me build confidence and go into a career that I love.”
Alayna also enjoys the days she spends at Middlesbrough College and is relishing the challenge of learning new things on the Level 3 course.
“By doing an apprenticeship, I’m building those professional skills in the workplace, familiarising myself with the office environment,” she explained.
“I’m learning the theory at college on one day a week – but I’m also able to put what I am learning into practice.”
Alayna admits she wasn’t sure she had the skills to become an accountant, but being at Jacksons has enabled her to build those skills, increase her self-confidence and move forward in her career.
“The people here are lovely too,” she adds, explaining that she’s also had support from staff outside her own department.
With that kind of help and support, Alayna feels more confident than ever that she will be able to fulfil her ambition of becoming a chartered accountant.
“The level 2 qualification is on a par with GCSEs and provides you with the foundations of accounting and after that, I will look to do my Level 3 qualification, which is equivalent to A-Level,” she says.
“I’m hoping to go onto do Level 4 and eventually become a chartered accountant with ACCA.
“I’m looking forward to developing my career within the firm because I love it here – they do like to look after their employees and they are very supportive of enabling you to study while working.
“I couldn’t ask for a better workplace.”
