AAT student James Rennie, 17, has been thriving on an industry placement.
Industry placements are being piloted with local employers as they will become a mandatory part of the new T-level qualifications. The placements are specifically focusing on bridging skills gaps. Students spend a minimum of 45 days with an external employer in a role with direct relevance to their course.
Accounting student, James, worked at a local coffee roasting business ‘New Era Coffee Ltd’ in Sheldon. James completed accounts, invoices, purchases and a VAT return for the owner’s two businesses ‘Urban Espresso’ and ‘New Era Coffee Ltd’.
The industry placement gave James a real in depth look at accountancy in the workplace. Over the period James worked at New Era Coffee Roasters he visited Italy on a sales trip to see how coffee was made, its history and its origins.
With ‘Urban Espresso’ James brought all of the accounting services online with Quick Books to create a more streamlined and efficient system.
James commented, ‘I’ve found this whole experience really useful, I can bring areas I have learned at college such as debt management back to the workplace’.
Ben Thomason, Director of James’s placement companies stated; ‘It has been so refreshing to have young blood in the business and such enthusiasm from this industry placement. James has really allowed me to free up my time and visit customers; he has brought our bookkeeping and accounts in house and taken control of everything’.
James is looking to study accountancy in the future.
