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In 2021, we utilised the Kickstart scheme to add a team member to our finance department. We were keen to hire someone that would take the opportunity we were able to provide and make the most of it, offering the Finance Assistant position to Luke. Whilst a strong mathematical ability is a prerequisite for any finance position, Luke’s keen eye for detail further enhances his proficiency within his role.
After the 6-month Kickstart period, we offered Luke a full-time position of Junior Finance Officer. We took a moment to speak with Luke to reflect upon his journey into and throughout his time with us so far.
What were you doing before Truebyte?
I was working in retail alongside labouring before joining Truebyte and briefly doing bookkeeping for a small business, I had wanted a career in either marketing or finance so when kickstart sent me the opportunity to get into a role, I was very keen to apply.
What opportunities have you been presented to you at Truebyte?
Part of the path to finance officer is obtaining an AAT level accreditation, which is a very useful qualification in the world of finance and as it covers a lot of what is included in my daily tasks, it will help me grow in my current role, benefitting my career and Truebyte in the process.
Why are you working in finance?
I think finance is something I have wanted to do for a long time as maths has always come naturally to me and I have always been good with money. It’s always a bonus to work in a sector that will always be in high demand.
How do you learn best?
I learn best through applied learning, I understand things far quicker and am able to do things far more efficiently by going in and figuring things out for myself. This is completely unlike education, so this is why I made the decision not to pursue a degree.
As somebody who is equally left and right brained, working in finance can deprive the right side at times when my tasks are all bookkeeping/invoicing, so anything that comes through that allows some alternative thinking really helps me stay focused.
What do you enjoy in your role?
I enjoy variety, whenever I plan my tasks, I like to mix my tasks as much as possible whilst keeping urgent tickets prioritised as a lot of different tasks are handed to our team, I also enjoy Excel tasks as there is a lot of freedom with your spreadsheets.
What sort of tasks do you complete?
Usually bookkeeping and admin tasks, as those are recurring and come in on a set schedule, mixed in with purchasing, invoicing, sales, returns, booking, renewals and reporting tasks.
What have you gained with your first year of employment at Truebyte?
As this is my first office job for a proper company, I have learned a lot about the workplace and have obtained a good first-hand experience of what the operations of a business are and common challenges that arise, especially in the finance department.
I have also gained a good understanding of the management of purchases and inventory of a business as well as experience operating different accounting software and getting to the point where I can do most tasks that require using them without assistance.
As my role is not exclusive to just finance, I also now have experience in sales for both purchasing and invoicing, which I was hesitant to get into at first but am now quite interested in and am looking forward to gaining more experience in.
What steps are ahead for becoming a finance officer?
Further proficiency in my current abilities as well as involvement in tracking engineer labour and their billable hours, wider exposure to report creation and customer interaction/liaison.
Luke has the fundamentals for a successful career in Finance, building a development path for him and utilising Truebyte Academy, Luke will go from strength to strength.
With the success of Luke’s Kickstart placement, we have utilised the same scheme for another position. We opened applications for a 1st Line IT Support Engineer and successfully recruited Dylan. Dylan has made a really positive impact, so much so that he has already accepted our offer of a permanent role beyond his fixed 6-month contract.
