Meet Oscar
We heard from Oscar Pringle who started as a Trainee Accountant and is now fully ACCA qualified as a Fund Accountant.
What were your expectations when you first started your graduate programme as a trainee accountant?
I expected there to be a steep learning curve, particularly as I had studied economics rather than accounting. I was keen to build a strong technical foundation through the ACCA qualification while gaining practical experience of how private equity funds operate. This is a valuable qualification and all being well you become a chartered accountant after three years, with a wealth of knowledge in private markets. This was a very attractive offering for me.
How did you balance studying for ACCA exams alongside your day-to-day role?
Balancing work and study required discipline and good time management. I tried to be consistent rather than leaving everything until immediately before an exam. This meant planning my studies around client deadlines, setting aside time during evenings and weekends, and making full use of the study leave on offer.
What skills did you gain from ACCA that you use regularly in your role today?
ACCA has given me a very strong technical base in finance and accounting. I feel competent analysing financial statements and performance metrics, something I do on a daily basis. My professional judgement has also been fine-tuned. This has set me up well for my career.
How did your responsibilities change as you progressed from Trainee Accountant to Fund Accountant?
The main change has been moving from preparing work to reviewing it, whilst also taking on greater ownership of client relationships. As a Trainee, my focus was on building the fundamentals – owning the preparation work and absorbing as much technical knowledge as possible to help me in the long run. Now as a Fund Accountant, I manage my own team, review and analyse client work and oversee deliverables across a portfolio of private market clients.