Ten months
I am part of the graduate scheme at National Gas, on the finance pathway. This includes undertaking a level seven accountancy and taxation apprenticeship while I study for my CIMA in order to become a Chartered Accountant. While my role rotates to a new team every 6-12 months, I am currently working within Operational Finance which deals with monies coming in and out of the business.
Days in my current rotation can look very different depending on what is going on, but an average day can include tracking debt owed to us from customers, ensuring we are meeting audit requirements when sending/receiving monies/debt notice letters/bank details and so on. We also have regular calls with clients to discuss their accounts and other issues they may be facing. Finally, I spend a considerable amount of time studying for my CIMA qualification each week.
The thing I have been enjoying the most about my role has been the opportunity to learn so many new things. Prior to starting the scheme, I did not have a finance background, as I studied History in university. It has been very interesting to learn so many new things about the finance world and I have been delighted by how open my team/department has been in regard to sharing their knowledge with me.
My advice for someone considering joining a National Gas Graduate programme is to be open to learning a lot of new things, both from your business area and others. Be prepared for it to be slightly overwhelming at times as it is a lot of new information; but taking part in a Graduate or Apprenticeship programme is a brilliant opportunity to gain valuable experience within the industry and be able to ask endless questions!
