Graduate Case Studies - James Pritchard - Centrica - Corporate Accountant
Name: James Pritchard, 26
Degree: Economics (2:1), University of Hull, Masters in Economics and Finance, University of York
Chartered Body: ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)
Employer: Centrica
For someone who still hadn't decided on a career when he graduated, James Pritchard couldn't believe it when he was announced the 2005 Trainee Accountant of the Year by the industry magazine, Pass. "They told me I had a broad range of experience and that I was very good both technically and commercially," says James. Indeed, he is testament to the fact that accounting is no longer just about bean counting. "I'm doing my training with Centrica and my current role involves working for our downstream business British Gas, where I support their marketing, propositions and retention development. So when they are trying to develop new products, win new customers or retain old ones, it's my job to provide the financial support for that. It's really stimulating."
Having gained a 2.1 in economics from the University of Hull in 2001, James did a summer internship with HSBC in commercial and corporate banking. "That made me realise I wanted to work for a large organisation, but to help me work out exactly what role, I decided to do a masters in economics and finance at the University of York."
It was there that he concluded accountancy is a good entry into business, that it is challenging and varied and provides excellent opportunities to work internationally.James' next step was to pick out a handful of companies he liked the sound of from the Times Top 100 Graduate Recruiters. 'I wanted to work in energy and managed to get onto Centrica's scheme,' he says.Usually, trainees at Centrica do three 12-month placements. "But I did about five or six shorter ones," says James, who joined the firm in September 2002.
"Now, I've moved into a more challenging roles than the previous ones and it's my first step towards a commercial role, which is what I'd like to do."Qualifying with ACCA is hard work, admits James, who is about to finish the three-year training period. "It's a big commitment because you study around your working hours, which means giving up lots of weekends and taking lots of exams. But it's well worth it because it opens so many doors," he says.
Send to a friend
Post a comment
Comments
No comments....
Graduate Employers
| TravelWorks | TravelWorks offers a myriad of volunteer and paid work opportuniti... | more |
| ESCP Europe Business School | Founded in 1819 and now one of the world’s oldest business s... | more |
| Towers Watson | Towers Perrin and Watson Wyatt have come together as Towers Watson... | more |
| Nottingham University Business Sch... | Postgraduate study at Nottingham University Business School offers... | more |
| nucleargraduates | The UK’s nuclear industry is facing its biggest challenge in... | more |
| AXA UK | With 210,000 employees and distributors worldwide and a presence i... | more |
| PricewaterhouseCoopers | PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) is the one firm for all talented ... | more |
| The Institution of Engineering & T... | The IET offers different categories of membership depending on you... | more |
| Bank of England | Few organisations play a more influential role in the UK’s e... | more |
| Mountbatten Institute | The Mountbatten Institute is a not-for-profit organization that ad... | more |
Latest Graduate Jobs
| Title | Organisation | Apply by |
|---|---|---|
| KTP Associate - SEN and Mental Health Developer | Knowledge Transfer Partne... | 23 Sep 2010 |
| Database and Web Services Developer | Knowledge Transfer Partne... | 13 Sep 2010 |
| nucleargraduates: Health Physics | nucleargraduates | 27 Aug 2010 |
| nucleargraduates: Electrical Engineer | nucleargraduates | 22 August 2010 |
| R & D NDE Specialist; Pall Europe Ltd | Knowledge Transfer Partne... | 08 Sep 2010 |
Volunteer Internships - London and Manchester
|
Common Purpose | 03.06.2010 |
| Sales Executive (Product Advisor) | Inspiring Interns | 18 Nov 2010 |
| Account Manager | Inspiring Interns | 18 Nov 2010 |
| Fundraising Intern | Inspiring Interns | 19 Nov 2010 |
| Just graduated? Looking for the best way into banking and fi... | Quartic Training | 31 Jan 2010 |
Graduate Case Studies
|
Gareth Evans - Cardiff Law School - Former studentThe BPTC is a marked change from undergraduate studies; it is the transition from study to practice and this is reflected in the demands it makes upon its students. The Cardiff BPTC tutors provide a readily-accessible support base to students and are always willing to offer their time and experience. ... more |
|
Emma Heley - Celebrity Publicist - PHA MediaI work in the celebrity department of a public relations firm in Soho managing press and publicity for our celebrity clients... ... more |
|
Cameron Hall - PR Account ExecutiveEssentially I help to generate a constant stream of positive press cover for my clients. Day-to-day activities include creating press releases, arranging interviews, writing articles and responding to news stories... ... more |
Nikki Barell - Graduate Management trainee in Adult Social Care - National Skills AcademyI am currently on a year long graduate management scheme in adult social care with the National Skills Academy for Social Care. This involves me splitting my time between the national charity The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and the local charity Blackburn with Darwen Carers Centre... ... more |
Graduate Advice
|
The Real World Awards will be taking place at The Spring, our new devlopement... more |
|
What's new at Real World|Push? As a new academic year approaches, Real World|Push have been busier than... more |
|
The Push National Student Debt Survey The UK's largest survey of student finance, published today on Push.co.uk,... more |
|
|
All the Fun of the Careers Fair Thinking of going to a careers fair, but don’t know where to start?... more |






Comments