It’s the big 5-0 for the Champion of accountancy training

Leading SME advisors, Champion Accountants, has shown its commitment to development, career progression and upskilling of local talent by reaching the milestone of 50 industry qualifications achieved by staff in the last five years.

With practices in Preston, Blackpool, Manchester and Chester, the accountancy group offers young people the opportunity to build successful careers, supporting them throughout professional exams, whilst also giving trainees the chance to earn a competitive salary by providing viable alternatives to University and apprenticeships.  

Champion Accountants work closely with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) to deliver the highest standards for staff training, having recently retained Platinum Status as an ACCA Approved Employer.  

A total of 186 exams have been passed by Champion Accountants staff during the last five years, with more than 1,000 hours spent revising.

Ged Cosgrove, group managing partner at Champion Accountants, explained: “We seek out people with a strong academic background combined with the desire to start a career in accountancy. In return, we provide excellent training packages, great progression opportunities and a number of other benefits.

“Our reputation is built on excellence for our clients, so it pays to recruit, build and retain the very best talent through ongoing development and progression. We want our staff to feel valued and to grow alongside us, and by nurturing the skills of our workforce, we can continue to deliver a best in class service.”

Committed to growing its own, many of Champion Accountants’ 100+ team have risen through the ranks during their careers. Russell Spencer joined the Preston office in 2008 as a semi senior accountant and has since progressed to client manager to support a growing portfolio of SMEs.

Russell said: “I came to Champion from studying at UCLan and progressed straight onto ACCA and passed within four years. If you know for certain that you wish to pursue a career in accountancy then I would recommend going straight into accountancy from college. Yes, you can accelerate past AAT if you have a degree, but it’s only a few modules and you actually start your ACCA training behind those who began straight from college. 

“Champion Accountants value training and retention, giving everyone the opportunities to improve their skillsets and the progression that comes with this, which can be rare in business today.”

Aimee Brierley joined the Preston practice as a trainee is studying towards her professional qualification.  

Aimee said: “Within accountancy you need to have a good analytical mind but don’t necessarily have to be the strongest in maths, which is a common misconception. A large part of the job as you progress is client service and being able to be that trusted advisor to individuals and businesses.”

For more information, visit: www.champion-accountants.co.uk