New career adds up for accountant

Emma Clarke, 45, is registered disabled and didn’t work for many years but, three years ago, she enrolled on an accounting course at Shrewsbury Colleges Group. She has now completed her Level 2, 3 and 4 accounting qualifications and has just been accepted as a full member of the professional body, the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT).

Emma said: “A friend wanted to do the course and dragged me along to get me out of the house. Initially I signed up for something to get my brain working again but then enjoyed it so much that I wanted to continue.

“College has been great for me to meet new people and to improve my confidence. They also went over and above to make sure I was happy with my disability and during Covid. I was given my own room for my final exams. I completed my final 3 exams over 3 weeks so I could still complete the course on time.”

Emma has been working at Aspire Accountancy and Bookkeeping Ltd based in Shrewsbury since 2018.

Director at Aspire, Suzanne-Marie Campbell FMAAT, said: “It's difficult to consider that Emma is now the same person I met back in 2018. She is confident and cheerful and I very much hope she continues her career with us here.”

Next month the Level 2 Certificate in Bookkeeping will begin, and in September, a range of accounting and bookkeeping courses from Levels 2-4 will start.

Accounting teacher Nicola Perry, said: “These courses can be life changing for people, as Emma has shown. Three years ago, she was finding life hard and often was at home all day in her PJ’s after getting the kids to school. Adult education really turned her life around."

For more information on courses visit scg.ac.uk