National Apprenticeship Week: A day in the life of…

Gabriella Noyce gives us an insight into a working day at Carpenter Box

Gabriella has been a trainee with Carpenter Box since November 2021 and works in the Worthing office as part of the Audit and Assurance Team. For the last 6 months, she has been training for her ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) qualification and has already passed her first exam!

Having come straight from college after completing her A-Levels, where one of the subjects she studied was business which she feels has really helped her with her professional qualification.

The day starts

“It’s a 7:30 am wake-up to get ready for the 9am start. I’ll grab my bag and lunch (though that isn’t a necessity for us at Carpenter Box, as there are some fabulous places to eat in town) and head out. Thanks to the work parking permit, I park a very short walk up the road (roughly two songs), walk through the gate and beep myself into the office, before being greeted with a chorus of mornings and hellos.

Sit down ready for the day

After setting up my company provided laptop, I’ll sit down at my seat for the day. This can be anywhere I like, I just book the desk in advance. We move around the office (hot desking) – depending on who I’ll be working with – meaning some days I will be next to the toasty radiator and others on the fancy motorised standing desks. After switching on the computer and checking my emails, I’ll head over to my mentor to have a chat about today’s project.

The work

The work is something different every day, especially for trainees, as there are a wide variety of clients and jobs in the audit department – accounts, audit jobs, etc. – meaning we’re constantly learning. Whilst carrying out the work, I’ll type up a list of any queries/questions for the senior on the job/mentor to clarify with them. Once a working paper is complete, you can give it a nice green tick to say my work here is done – this is VERY satisfying!

Time for food

1pm lunchtime comes around and how the lunch hour is spent changes every day. Maybe a walk along the seafront and down the pier, a shopping spree in town or popping to the bank. You might have a cheeky game of table football. This is the best way to earn respect in the office!

Halfway through the day

Then work starts up again. By the afternoon you could be working on a different job/client, it all depends. Now and then, there’ll be a training course on an array of topics – corporation tax, charity accounts, auditing, etc, which are all incredibly useful for work and exams. The average day has us working until 5:30, then shut the blinds, put teacups in the dishwasher, stint at another table football game….

Home time

Once home, it’s time to do a quick study session, using the textbook and workbooks kindly paid for by Carpenter Box – this is not something to avoid! We do also have a study day every two weeks to help us along too.

Work outside of work

However, on the first Friday of the month, the day doesn’t stop there. CBX employees will pop down to a local pub and have a drink and chat with anyone and everyone, no matter their department. It’s a really great way to meet people, especially other trainees where you can bond over exams!

Pool nights, a summer party, wine tasting, the list goes on…It is truly a great place to work.

Then sleep…

Off for a good night’s rest ready for my next day at work, weekends off, or to enjoy one of my annual leave days.”

Want to know more about our trainee positions?

Well, Gabs certainly enjoys her work and the work-life balance that trainees get to enjoy at Carpenter Box. So many trainees point to a family feel to the company and how their wellbeing is paramount to everyone, all the way through the entire team.

To find out more about a trainee position at Carpenter Box you can check out our website, or alternatively, you can contact us on 01903 234094.