Amber
Ford

What was the most valuable part of your course for your future career?

It's hard to choose a specific part as so much of the content that I studied has been applicable to my roles. I think the accounting and finance course offered such a breadth of knowledge that I have been able to easily transition into different roles with a strong base understanding. I have supported different business areas and supported the formulation of different financial statements and regulatory reports. I have been able to pick things up quickly because I have already had exposure to and developed an understanding through my studying at NTU.

Additionally, I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the lecturers that I did at NTU. They are very knowledgeable about what they teach and went above and beyond to support me throughout my studying. Their varied experience and skills helped me to better understand career path options that were available to me. I knew early into my studies that going into an auditing role wasn't suited to me, I was able to utilise the career experience of my lecturers to decipher were my interests were.

Can you give one example of something you worked on that felt relevant to the real world?

The accounting and finance course gave students the opportunity each year to work as a team and create a presentation together, fostering strong team working and communication skills. As part of the university module, teams were assigned to us, much like the real world where you don't choose who you work with. Each member of the team possessed different personality traits, skills and communication styles, and that sometimes presented a challenge to overcome. I think this was very relevant to the real world as you have to overcome communication and work barriers to work efficiently and successfully as a team.

What is your current role, and what does a typical day involve?

My current role is as a Strategic Finance Advisor and I support NatWest's Financial Crime function with their forecasting, budgeting and cost allocations. My team and I partner with the business area and support them with anything finance related.

A typical day involves a lot of analysis and interpretation of financial balances and costs and then piecing that information together to tell a comprehensive story to stakeholders in both Finance and Financial Crime.

Which skills or experiences from NBS do you use most in your role today?

Definitely my ability to analyse complex financial information and really make sense of the numbers in front of me. The accounting and finance course focuses heavily on the application of key accounting principles and standards, a lot of which I see and need to adhere to in my current role.

Additionally, the accounting and finance course offered some great opportunities to present to people, both internally and externally to the university. Being able to confidently present to an audience has been critical to my experience at NatWest.

What is one highlight of your career so far?

Achieving the promoted position I really wanted alongside studying toward and passing several of my professional level ACA exams. I received some great exam results and my job offer in the same week and I was immensely proud of myself.
I'd spent a lot of time in my previous role developing my skill set to evidence that I was capable of fulfilling the promoted position but it was admittedly a lot of work to do alongside studying so it was fantastic to see all of my hard work pay off.

If you could give one piece of advice to a future NBS student, what would it be?

Utilise the support available to you. NTU have great support resources and a fantastic group of lecturers who care deeply for their students wellbeing. I had a difficult start to my second year and the help and support that I received at that time was invaluable. If you are struggling, speak up about it, because there are people there to help.

In one sentence, how was studying at NBS helped shape your career?

NBS provided me with the opportunity to hone a strong and well rounded business skillset that has allowed me to progress quickly in my career and succeed professionally.

Who would you recommend your course to, and why?

I'd recommend the course to anyone who is analytically minded, enjoys numbers and who wants to build a really strong foundation for a varied career in the finance or accountancy industry.