Two finance colleagues are celebrating after becoming fully qualified management accountants through the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).
Sabrina Wells-Burr and Melissa Boyce had very different journeys to completing the qualification but both are an excellent example of what can be achieved through hard work and dedication.
Melissa’s story: “I graduated university with a first class degree in Accounting in 2017, which allowed me to halve the number of exams I was required to sit from 16 to eight as I was exempt from the topics I studied at university.
“I started my course in January 2018, however, I was due to start studying in September 2017 but I was asked if I could wait for the apprentice levy course to be a ‘guinea pig’ for a level seven professional course.
“I made a study plan so I could sit four exams a year and be finished by 2019, therefore I could start a new decade with no more education!
“I stuck to the plan and was lucky to pass my exams first time.”
Sabrina’s story: “Becoming a fully qualified management accountant is the culmination of a long journey that started eight years ago.
“Having made some questionable decisions in my late teens, I found myself in my mid-twenties, a single mum to a son who I was seeing into his first day at primary school whilst living pretty much on the bread line stacking shelves at Morrisons. I wanted to be a role model for my son and change our lives for the better so I paid my way through College doing an AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) course.
“Once qualified I struggled for a year to gain any experience in the field. Knocking on doors and sending out CVs to volunteer brought no opportunities until I had an interview with Rachel Whittaker at Ideal. She took the gamble on hiring someone with no experience and has been my main support and guidance throughout the process of developing my career. Through Ideal I was able to start the next level of education and start my University degree in accountancy.
“The next four years brought many high and lows, many tears and what can only be described as a pretty abysmal social life but it has all been worth it. I wouldn’t change a thing and I know how lucky I am that I have a job that I love and get to work with lots of fantastic people. It sounds really cheesy but if you set your mind to it, you can accomplish anything!”