From summer placement to Tax Trainee: Sophie’s journey

At Carpenter Box, we take pride in supporting the growth of young professionals, and today we’re excited to share the story of one such rising star: Sophie Middleton. After completing a placement with us during her university years, she’s returned as a full-time tax accounting trainee, bringing passion, commitment, and a unique perspective to the team. We sat down with Sophie and asked her about her journey to becoming a Tax Trainee.

Your degree is in History. What attracted you to a career in Tax, and how did your placement at Carpenter Box influence that decision?

Studying History at the University of Chichester was a great experience. The degree opened many doors, while allowing me to study something I loved. Through the careers centre, I found Bright Network’s values-based careers test, which pointed me toward Accountancy and Finance.

I also knew that for me personally I wanted to keep History ‘safe’ as my hobby, so I could use it to unwind on the weekends. Therefore, I chose not to pursue a career in a directly related field.

I wanted a career with structure, progression, and intellectual challenges, while keeping History as a personal hobby. During my placement, I was taught how to do tax returns for lots of clients in different circumstances and discovered that Tax was actually the area I found the most interesting! This naturally made it very easy to choose joining the tax team when I was offered a trainee role.

How did your placement prepare you for your current role as a trainee?

The placement in between my second and third year of university was crucial in building my understanding, skills and confidence. By working hands-on with tax returns and familiarising myself with the software, I was able to hit the ground running when I returned as a trainee. Knowing some of the team in the office beforehand also massively helped ease those first-day nerves!

How is Carpenter Box supporting you in your studies while you work towards your professional qualifications?

Since I joined as a trainee, I have a fully-funded study contract with Carpenter Box, which offers comprehensive support, including paid study leave, textbooks, online lectures, and exam fees.

I’ve found Carpenter Box to be really supportive of everyone’s individual needs. I’m able to choose to take my study leave in bulk or scatter it in whatever pattern I prefer to best suit my study methods. Once I’ve completed 6 months in my new role, I’ll have the option to work from home once a week and adjust my hours. For me, this means I can convert the time I would have spent commuting to studying.

The tax department also runs training sessions specifically for trainees, where a colleague runs through and teaches you an accounting topic. We also have team learning sessions called “Lunch and Learns.”

In my day-to-day role, I receive loads of support from my team, including from people who are much more senior than myself. I think the willingness for any member of the team to sit with me one-to-one and explain a concept I’m struggling with is unique to Carpenter Box.

What advice would you give to students considering a career in accounting or tax?

Get hands-on experience in an accountancy practice! It’s the best way to become more informed of your next steps. Also, LinkedIn was a great tool for me. You can use it to boost your application by introducing yourself and making connections with people who work at the firm you’re applying to.

My last piece of advice is: don’t believe the myth that you need to be great at maths to work in accounting—other skills are just as valuable.

What are your future ambitions?

Over the next few years, I have my sights set on achieving my ATT and CTA qualifications, to become a fully qualified Chartered Tax Advisor. After that, I’d like to move to management, specialising in an area of tax I find interesting!

Interested in an accounting career with Carpenter Box?

Join us for our upcoming Trainee Scheme Open Evening on 19th November 2024. You’ll have the chance to meet our team, different departments, learn about our career paths, and explore the exciting opportunities that await you in accounting and tax.
Learn more and register here.