Putting trainees on the road to accountancy
DVLA is supporting 12 members of staff who are working towards accountancy qualifications, putting them on track to become qualified accountants.
DVLA is investing in its future by putting its finance staff on the road to accountancy.
There are currently 12 staff being supported by the agency as they work towards accountancy qualifications. Six are on track to complete Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT), with the other six studying with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
One team member, Emily Price, aged 27, from Swansea, is nearing the end of her studies with the ACCA.
She says the study and work balance, as well as the experience offered by working at the DVLA, have been exceptional and provided her with the skills she needs for her future career.
“I’ve had the opportunity to do two roles so far,” explains Emily.
“The first one involved programme accounts, and working on costing and budgets for projects within DVLA.
“Then, last year I moved to the financial reporting unit – that’s the team that prepare financial statements, which is very much in line with the course and exams I’m studying for.
“Working at the DVLA while studying is really helping me, I can relate what I’m doing in my role to my exams and what I’m learning about to my job. It’s going really well.”
Emily, who has a degree in accountancy, joined the DVLA in 2016.
Currently on track to qualify as a chartered accountant in March, she began her ACCA studies at a local college, but later changed to home learning as it offered her greater flexibility.
“There is an online lecture with a tutor, which I can do from home,” she said.
“In college I had to take time to get there and sit through the class, whereas with the online lectures you can work in the day and do the lectures in the evening. It allows me to use my study leave when I want to.
“DVLA offers study leave so I get a specific set of hours per module. It is up to me how I use it, I could use half a day a week or bunch it up before an exam.
“The support I get from my team and the agency has helped enormously. It has been tough – the whole work, life and study balance is difficult at times but I’m getting through it and I know it will be worth it in the end.”
The agency has 14 accountants who qualified while training at the DVLA, and a further 13 that qualified before joining.
Rachael Cunningham, DVLA Finance Director, said:
We’re proud to invest in our people and it is great to see it paying off as Emily thrives as part of our team.
Training and qualifications like these ensure our staff are effective, efficient and capable to work at the highest standard.
Find out more about our current vacancies and working for DVLA.
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