To celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, we’ve interviewed Bailey, our new Finance apprentice who has joined our Finance team.
Welcome to STM AGENCY! Can you tell us a little about your background and what led you to pursue an apprenticeship?
I joined STM Agency just after completing my A Levels in Maths, Business and economics whilst also working part-time as a production operator at an electronics company. I have always had an interest in accounting which grew deeper during my studies at Sixth Form College in numerical and financially based subjects.
Why did you decide to do an apprenticeship?
I believe that experience is becoming an increasingly more important and credible asset to employees which stands out to employers just as equally, if not more, as qualifications. By doing an apprenticeship i can achieve both of these, gaining priceless experience in the world of accounting and also an AAT Qualification.
What has your first few months been like at STM AGENCY?
My first few months here have been nothing short of perfect. I have been incredibly lucky in landing a role in such a welcoming agency who are all so passionate about the work in which they are involved in. All members of staff are extremely friendly and approachable, this has created such a warm and sociable environment in the office and is a huge motivational factor. Each member of staff is valued as an asset to the business and appreciated for their individuality within the group whilst recognising their successes within their role.
What attracted you to apply for an apprenticeship with STM AGENCY specifically?
STM stood out to me for an apprenticeship after seeing our rich history of successful apprentices in a variety of roles such as client services, performance marketing and also finance. It was clear to me that the whole group had a passion for developing young talent not only to add innovation, new ideas and explore new opportunities in the business, but also to build foundations for the future generational workforce by developing careers.
What have been your first impressions of the culture at STM AGENCY?
The STM Group has an incredibly inclusive and very close-knit culture critical in building relationships between all teams and businesses. Monthly huddle meetings provide visibility across the group to appreciate the work and successes of others and also provides an insight to all employees of the opportunities and future plans/objectives of the group. Lynsey and Catherine in our HR team are extremely kind-hearted and essential in portraying our company culture on a daily and long term basis and have provided priceless support during my first few months of working life.
How has the support from mentors or colleagues contributed to your experience so far?
I am constantly learning new things on a daily basis from shadowing the work of both Julie and Julia. They are both incredibly supportive with my work at STM Agency and with my AAT studies at college and are very passionate about developing my skills in accounting to build my future.
Are there any specific skills or areas you’re excited to develop during your apprenticeship?
I am excited to learn the fundamental skills and roles surrounding accounting, finance and bookkeeping throughout my apprenticeship here at STM with the hopes of being AAT qualified and potentially carry on to ACCA in the future. I am also excited to learn about the work that goes on within our STM Create, Code and Reach teams and gain a better understanding of the world of marketing.
What kind of projects or tasks have you enjoyed working on most so far?
I really enjoy my day to day roles of reconciling accounts, processing both sales and purchase invoices, credit control and informing my managers about the daily activities within the group including producing reports to effectively present the data in which they require.
How do you feel your apprenticeship is shaping your future career?
My apprenticeship is giving me a good insight into accounting and finance and is the perfect way to develop my skills and is giving me the perfect opportunity to build my career in this sector.
Finally, what are you most looking forward to learning during your time with STM AGENCY?
I am looking forward to future projects at STM to create efficiencies throughout the business and potential projects with artificial intelligence. I am also excited to complete my AAT level 2 and progress onto further levels this year.
