• Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

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Finance apprenticeships hailed by fast-growing Utilitywise

APPRENTICESHIP training has helped the finance team at leading utility management firm Utilitywise to improve productivity.

Bosses at the business utility consultancy say specialist technical accounting apprenticeships have helped the finance team increase performance.

Utilitywise enlisted the expertise of training provider Northern Skills Group to run Level 2 and Level 3 Association of Accounting Technician (AAT) apprenticeship qualifications at the firm’s Cobalt Business Park premises.

The training is delivered to the colleagues of the Utilitywise finance department – including those eligible for apprenticeship funding and those with existing degrees, which the company has funded.

Nadine Veitch, finance manager at Utilitywise, said the training was had been very successful.

She explained: “The team at Northern Skills Group has been able to tailor the training to suit our needs at Utilitywise.

“Our finance team is part of the contact centre operation and supporting their understanding of costing, software and payment methods is crucial to safeguarding our place in the market.

“It’s a great programme because colleagues and the business benefit simultaneously.”

Around 13 Utilitywise colleagues have now started the Level 3 qualification and a further 15 will begin Level 2 soon.

The programme is delivered by a weekly evening class, which takes place in the Utilitywise offices and is delivered by Northern Skills Group tutor, Mark Chilver.

He said: “It’s great to deliver the AAT programmes at Utilitywise as the colleagues are enthusiastic to learn, and there is a real feeling of growth at the company.

“The team here show it’s not just people in traditional accounting job roles that can gain value from the AAT qualifications.

“In fact, beyond the technical skills this team have acquired there is a great deal of personal and career development value to be taken from this.

“Northern Skills Group builds programmes around the specific needs of businesses, and as a tutor I get to see the benefits action.”

Spaces are available in forthcoming AAT apprenticeship delivered by Northern Skills Group at its Middlesbrough College base, starting on Tuesday, February 28 9:30-12:30.

Those interested should contact Northern Skills Group on 0345 340 4040.