Apprentice Accountant Review
at Nicholsons Chartered Accountants
Level 3 Apprenticeship
Accounting
Lincoln
Review Submitted: April 2025
Overall Rating
4.4 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
4.5/5
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Overview of Role
5/5
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Skills Development
4/5
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Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
4/5
My usual jobs consist of preparing year end accounts for clients, this requires me to communicate with clients and team members to make sure the accounts are prepared to the best standard. I also regularly do VAT returns for clients, most of these are just the standard quarterly returns. I have also prepared some self assessment returns and some corporation tax returns.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
I enjoy the experience very much, I am given a wide variety of tasks to have a go at and I am always being supported by my colleagues who are willing to help me at any point. It is a very friendly environment which makes working enjoyable and a good place to learn new things.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
I think the main skill I have developed was communication. I have learned the importance and how much of an effect good communication can have compared to bad communication. I have also gathered the confidence to contact clients via email and occasionally by the phone. I have developed a good amount of team working skills, how to keep everyone in my team updated with what I am working on. Time management is also a skill I have developed a lot, I have learnt how to prioritize certain tasks.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
It is very well organised, there is always work for me to do, and each job has something different which provides me with new learning opportunities. I am also doing a good amount of off the job training as well, so I am refining other skills than just being in the office all hours of the day.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
I receive a good amount of support from my employer, they always give me good opportunities to learn and everyone is willing to help me if I am ever stuck with a task, this makes learning a lot easier and a lot less stressful. So because of that I must say I receive plenty support from Nicholsons as a whole.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
3/5
I receive a decent amount of support. I do study every week, sometimes I am in college, sometimes I do self study. The only problem that I would raise is that I am only in college once a month which I think is a downside. This is the fault of Lincoln College though, for not hiring enough staff, not the fault of Nicholsons.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
Some topics seem to directly link to the work that I do. For example, I just finished a business tax module, which has helped me understand the VAT returns that I do much more, however other than that, there is rarely an example of my qualification helping me in my day to day role.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
4/5
There are plenty of events that are always being held. We have also recently started the LYP again which is the Lincoln young professionals. This gives the chance for younger people to network with other young people that are working a sort of "Professional" job. These are held monthly. We also have a lot of events for just the people in the company, Christmas parties, summer BBQ's, going to the horse races etc.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Nicholsons Chartered Accountants to a friend?
Yes
Why?
The people here are super supportive and friendly, in terms of a learning environment, it doesn't get much better than this. You'll have a good opportunity to progress in your learning and career and also make plenty of friends along the way which makes going to work a much more enjoyable time.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Nicholsons Chartered Accountants?
Show a good work ethic and willingness to learn and tackle different things. It's always good to have this mindset, but if you make it known that you are enthusiastic about learning new things and having a go at different things, then you are more likely to be given an opportunity. Make sure to make the most of the opportunity.
