FMTS blog / "HFMA’s graduate scheme knew this struggle that so many fresh graduates experienced, so it was perfect for me"

Throughout my education I consistently had an interest in numerical topics and finance, so it felt like natural progression for me to start an Accounting degree at Cardiff Metropolitan University in 2014, which gave me exemptions from 9 of the 13 ACCA accounting professional qualification exams. In my final year, of an intensive 3-year course at university, I applied for many graduate schemes and non-graduate scheme jobs.

I ended up working in non-graduate scheme jobs at Deloitte, in their Anti-Money Laundering department for 1.5 years and then I moved on to a public sector Pension Fund for a year, yet neither of these jobs were in an Accounting/financial role. However, although I had an Accounting degree, job application rejections always had the same feedback – “accounting applications require 2-3 years’ experience”. HFMA’s graduate scheme knew this struggle that so many fresh graduates experienced, so it was perfect for me! I noticed that the graduate scheme would allow me to complete the ACCA qualification, so I eagerly put in my application with the HFMA.

I am now halfway through my 3 years into the scheme, and I have gained experience at Southampton Hospital (UHS); in Capital Accounting and Management Accounting. Plus, experience gained at ‘South, Central and West’ CSU (SCW CSU); in data analytics and financial accounting, as part of their ‘Strategy and Transformation’ service line. Each role has been drastically different from each other, yet all are contributing to a well-rounded experience of finance in the NHS. No matter where you are placed, you will receive a wide variety of experience. Upon reflection, key moments for me include attending board meetings for UHS’s Capital expenditure, as part of the ‘Trust Investment Group’; assisting with valuations for the outsourcing of UHS’s Sterile services department, through the Capital valuation and then the subsequent revenue valuation, when I was in my Management Accounting role. Also, I have independently lead presentations of reports, such as monthly finance positions/variance analysis/forecasting, for budget holders throughout UHS’s various wards.

I will admit, it has been a strange couple of years starting a career during the Covid-19 pandemic, but all teams that I’ve worked with have been consistently supportive and understanding of balancing working from home/on site, whilst juggling studying. Being employed by a hospital during peaks of Covid have been truly inspirational, seeing how much each member of staff contributed towards the effort of combatting the virus. From the healthcare assistants retraining in understaffed areas and providing vaccinations in the vaccine hub, to finance staff, where I and others assisted by delivering PPE around the hospital and providing data admin assistance for the vaccine hub.

If any prospective applicants want to progress their financial career with highly rewarding roles in the NHS, whilst becoming a qualified accountant, I couldn’t recommend the HFMA scheme more!

Tom Withnell
2020 Intake