Employer profile: Armstrong Watson, Chartered Accountants

Chartered Accountants support businesses with things like tax planning, auditing, and financial management, but what's it like to work for one? In this guide, you’ll learn all about working at Armstrong Watson, what apprenticeship opportunities are available, and how to apply.

Armstrong Watson at a glance:

Rachael Feechan, who works in the Talent Acquisiton team at Armstrong Watson, tells us what it’s like to work for the firm.


What does Armstrong Watson do?

Armstrong Watson is a professional services firm. We give advice to all types of businesses, from small local firms to big brands. Our team has experts in lots of different business areas like leisure, technology, retail, manufacturing, medical, and farming. 

Essentially, we're financial problem-solvers. We help our clients understand how money comes in and out of their business, we analyse data, and we advise which sales are profitable and which aren’t. We support our clients through each stage of their business cycle, from starting up right through to selling their business.

Where is Armstrong Watson based?

We have offices across the North of England and Scotland. Our head office is based in Carlisle and we have 12 other regional offices spread across the North East, Cumbria, and Yorkshire. This includes offices in Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds, and Manchester.

What is your workspace like?

Our offices are modern and open-plan. We hot-desk, which means that instead of having an assigned desk, we book our seats via an app. Each desk has two big monitors and all staff get a laptop so they can work remotely too.

Each office has meeting rooms with TVs which hook up to our laptops so we can present data to our clients.We're heavily invested in the latest technology. We don’t have traditional phones; all phone and video calls come through our computers and our headsets, making communication quick and easy.

 

What are some of the most common roles at Armstrong Watson?

One common role at our firm is an accounting assistant. Accounting assistants do accountancy and business taxation assignments for clients. To do this, they input the records received from a client onto a computer, seek guidance from their supervisor on any unusual transactions, and call or email clients to ask for extra details and clear queries.  

Each assignment can take between half a day and a week to complete. Occasionally, accounting assistants visit clients' offices, and generally their working hours are from 8:30am to 5pm Monday – Friday. We close over Christmas and New Year, so we can relax, recharge, and maintain a work-life balance.

What are some of the most common entry-level roles at Armstrong Watson?

A common entry-level position at our firm is trainee accounting assistant. This role supports our accounting managers, who are responsible for a portfolio of accounting clients. The accounting managers make sure we meet our clients’ annual requirements whilst delivering excellent customer service. 

Trainee accounting assistants work with accounting seniors and accounting managers, and at times, they deal directly with clients. They work across all client types including smaller companies and nationwide organisations, and the work they do gets more complex as they gain more experience.

How can someone join Armstrong Watson at entry-level?

There are two main pathways.

You can join without any accounting experience via our three year AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) apprenticeship scheme where you’ll be a trainee accounting assistant, or our ATT (Association of Tax Technicians) apprenticeship schemes where you’ll be a trainee tax compliance assistant. These schemes are full-time and you’ll gain a professional qualification whilst working in your local area.

As a graduate or a student with an AAT qualification, you can join our three year ACA apprenticeship scheme. You don’t necessarily need previous accounting experience to join. You’ll work full-time alongside studying, and after three years, you’ll earn a sought-after professional qualification. As well as gaining valuable work experience, you'll also get time to attend college each week to support you with completing your qualification.What are the entry requirements for these roles? 

To join us as an AAT or ATT apprentice, you need to be 18 or over. You’ll also need at least five GCSEs or Scottish National 5’s at Grade 5 or above (Grade C), including maths and English. In addition, you'll need to have achieved already, or be predicted to achieve, a minimum of three A levels or Scottish Highers at Grade C or above.

To join our ACA training programme, you’ll need either a 2:1 degree or above in any subject, or the full AAT Level 4 qualification. We may consider candidates with a 2:2 degree in certain locations if your degree is in a subject relevant to the role.

What skills does Armstrong Watson look for in applicants?

We recruit for apprentices via our annual assessment centres. You’ll have an interview with an accounting manager and a representative from our Human Resources team. You’ll also complete a basic numeracy assessment and take part in a group exercise. 

Throughout the application process, we’re looking for skills like teamwork, problem solving, the ability to think on your feet, and excellent communication, alongside your motivation for the role you’re applying for. 

One of the main ways we look for these skills is through a group exercise. This is a great way for us to spot things like team working and problem solving. In our interviews, we also ask candidates to give specific examples of when they have displayed these skills in the past.

Related Unifrog skills:

• Numeracy
• Teamwork
• Problem solving
• Adaptability / Personal effectiveness
• Communication

What is one top tip to help an entry-level applicant succeed at getting into Armstrong Watson?

Follow Armstrong Watson on social media and make sure you're up-to-date with current issues.

What can students be doing right now to build their experience?

Volunteer or get a part-time job. This is a great way to build up your confidence and your social skills. It will also teach you how to develop relationships, which is really important as you start to interact with your peer group, your manager, and our clients.

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