Summary We are looking for an energetic and driven apprentice to join the team at our Wickford office. With a mixture of classroom teaching in Chelmsford and in-house training at our Wickford office, we will provide you with a rounded training programme with exposure to many different areas of accounting, including: Bookkeeping, Audit and Taxation. Wage £16,000 a year Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab) Pay and Performance reviews every 6 months Training course Accounts or finance assistant (level 2) Hours Monday to Thursday, 9.00 am - 5:30pm. Friday, 8:30am - 5.00pm. 1 hour's lunch to be taken between 12.00pm and 2.00pm. 20 days annual leave plus bank holidays and Christmas to New Year. 37 hours 30 minutes a week Start date Monday 4 August 2025 Duration 1 year Positions available 1 Work Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience. What you'll do at work The successful applicant will be expected to carry out the following: Preparing, recording and processing data Accounting work on Excel Use desktop and cloud-based accounting software Audit system testing in the office and offsite Communicating with clients General administrative duties in the office Where you'll work Construction House Runwell Road Wickford SS11 7HQ Training Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills. College or training organisation FIRST INTUITION CHELMSFORD LIMITED Your training course Accounts or finance assistant (level 2) Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab) What you'll learn Course contents Record transactional data. Use the organisation’s standard tools and processes to examine data to identify transactional issues such as, reconciliations and inconsistencies between invoices. Recognise and rectify routine errors, escalating as necessary. Plan and review accounting and finance tasks. Communicate with stakeholders to deliver accurate and timely results, avoiding jargon, using language tailored to the audience and different media methods with an appreciation of the risks and benefits to the business of social media and other digital applications. Use finance and accounting software packages to accurately input and manage data to contribute to routine accounting tasks. Handle data and digital technology in line with cyber and data security requirements, using data securely and safely, including backing up data. Record transactional data. Use the organisation’s standard tools and processes to examine data to identify transactional issues such as, reconciliations and inconsistencies between invoices. Recognise and rectify routine errors, escalating as necessary. Plan and review accounting and finance tasks. Communicate with stakeholders to deliver accurate and timely results, avoiding jargon, using language tailored to the audience and different media methods with an appreciation of the risks and benefits to the business of social media and other digital applications. Use finance and accounting software packages to accurately input and manage data to contribute to routine accounting tasks. Handle data and digital technology in line with cyber and data security requirements, using data securely and safely, including backing up data. Your training plan After completion of your A Level or GCSE studies, you will join as an apprentice and study for the Level 2 AAT qualification. You will start on the level 2 apprenticeship scheme, depending on your qualifications, before moving to the next level. The successful candidate will be required to attend weekday courses, once a week, at First Intuition Chelmsford, Southend or Colchester to study towards their AAT qualification as well as mentoring towards the apprenticeship knowledge, skills, and behaviours. More training information You will be required to travel to work at our Wickford office plus to your AAT Training Provider, First Intuition. They have sites across Essex in Chelmsford, Southend and Colchester. Please ensure you are able to travel to these locations before submitting your application. Requirements Essential qualifications GCSE in: 3 other subjects (grade 5 / C or above) Maths and English (grade 5 / C or above) Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know. Skills Communication skills IT skills Attention to detail Organisation skills Analytical skills Team working Able to meet deadlines Work well under pressure About this company Clay Ratnage & Co. was established in East London in 1927. Our business has 5 partners and approximately 45 staff operating from three offices in Romford, Wickford and Grays. Our accountancy practice has been built around providing support to businesses in Essex, London and the surrounding areas and, whilst this continues to comprise the largest part of our client base, we now have a wide variety of clients across the UK and beyond. The philosophy of our business has been to maintain a “general practice” approach meaning all staff have extensive experience of accounts, tax and audit and are, therefore, able to provide tailored assistance with day-to-day queries that arise. We also have a specialist Tax department to deal with more complicated tax matters and a specialist Wills and Probate department. We aim to provide a timely and cost effective service and look to build long-term relationships with our clients by delivering our services in a friendly and helpful manner. Due to the longevity of the firm, we have experience in virtually all business sectors but pride ourselves in our specialist knowledge of the building, property, manufacturing and retail sectors, in addition to our long-standing involvement with charities. https://clayratnage.co.uk/ (opens in new tab) After this apprenticeship On successful completion of your AAT qualification, we will encourage you to move to level 7 apprenticeship working towards either an ACCA or ICAEW qualification. Our friendly and supportive staff and training network will provide you with the help you need to progress through the exam process. Ask a question The contact for this apprenticeship is: FIRST INTUITION CHELMSFORD LIMITED Naomi Reed naomireed@fi.co.uk 01245 209900 The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000330889.