James earns Blackburn College’s first assistant accountant apprenticeship distinction

James Cocker has become the first Blackburn College student to achieve a Distinction Grade in the Assistant Accounting Apprenticeship’s End Point Assessment.

Preston’s James, 20, has completed this Apprenticeship alongside Longridge’s Rebecca Nuttall, 20, Leyland’s Anya Fallon, 22, and Darwen’s Connor Meadowcroft, 24; who are all also celebrating their grades.

All four students are Apprentices at PM+M, where their work-based learning included completing the AAT Level 3 Advanced Diploma in Accounting.

The course covers a range of accounting procedures, with students also required to create and present a portfolio of evidence through a professional discussion. This is done to demonstrate their ability to effectively apply the knowledge, skills and behaviours gained during their Apprenticeship in the workplace.

James said: “I am incredibly proud to be the first Blackburn College student who passed the course with a Distinction, as it is a globally recognised qualification that I know is highly valued within the accountancy industry.

“I am very grateful for the support and encouragement that I have received from everyone at PM+M and I am looking forward to putting what I have learned into practice.”

Jane Parry, managing partner at PM+M, commented: “We are delighted with the achievements of all four students, they have worked incredibly hard. We are proud of James in achieving the first ever Distinction at the College, this is a testament to his continuous efforts and is a real milestone in his career.

“As a business, PM+M is committed to supporting the next generation of talent. We are thrilled with these results and will continue to support our Apprentices on their career path.”

Maria Haworth, trainer and assessor at Blackburn College, added: “James, Rebecca, Anya and Connor all worked incredibly hard during their studies with us and we are thrilled that James was our first Apprenticeship Distinction pass – especially as the marks required to achieve that grade are very high.”

The AAT is the world's leading professional membership body for accounting technicians. It has over 100,000 members worldwide and it is the UK's largest awarding body of skills-based qualifications in accounting.