In 2015 I stumbled into the finance sector. At the time, I was working in the refinishing industry as a paint sprayer at a bespoke cabinet maker. Following my departure from high school and into the refinishing industry, I found myself surrounded by numbers—from paint mixing ratios to furniture dimensions.

I initially started an evening course so that if I became self-employed again, I could manage my own accounts. Five months later, I made the career change from paint sprayer to a finance apprentice.

Today, I work for a mutual organisation, with my role focused on both external and internal reporting. I manage the production process and prepare various components for our annual report each year-end. On a monthly basis, I maintain multiple financial models and produce our management accounts. These then feed into various dashboards and packs used throughout the organisation, which I also prepare. Once the reporting process is complete, I usually find myself looking into data and analysis-based activities.

"The banking sector had a large period of stability when the base rate was held at 0.10%. However, in recent years it has increased and subsequently begun to decrease. Naturally this causes customer behaviour to change so being able to analyse this and provide meaningful insight is key to organisations. "

Interest rates will always be among the top priorities for our stakeholders on both the retail and mortgage side, for different reasons. In addition to this, changing legislation will always have a significant impact. This can come in the form of savings allowances and taxation for retail, and lending or operating constraints for mortgages.

Outside of work, boxing has been a constant in my life since I was a teenager, and it has provided me with the stability I’ve needed at various stages in my life. I’ve been fortunate enough to meet some great people in the sport, and I’m lucky to call some my friends.

The chaos in my life outside of work comes in the shape of a German Shepherd called Stella. Her life revolves around having an adventure, telling me or my partner she hasn’t been fed when she already has, and protecting the house from invaders—namely, our postman. Once she’s got her way, she loves nothing more than a cuddle and fuss.

I was given a piece of advice years ago which proved extremely valuable: if you’re at a crossroads in your career and you need guidance as to what to study, go look on LinkedIn at individuals who are operating in jobs that you would love to have. Here you can see what qualifications they have, and what is valuable when operating in the position.