Meet Foundation Student Andrea

I really enjoyed studying Higher Accounting at school and knew early on that it was the career I wanted to pursue. While I didn’t initially know much about the different routes into the profession, discovering the ICAS Foundation through school gave me valuable insight and clarity. It helped me understand the pathway to becoming a Chartered Accountant and how to make the most of my time at university.

I didn’t know what to expect when I started university, but I really benefited from the Foundation’s programme structure – having regular reports to complete helped me reflect on my learning and progress. Thanks to the Foundation, I was very aware in my early studies which modules I needed to achieve specific grades in to ensure I was exempt from having to sit these exams later down the line when I started my professional ICAS Exams.  I was determined to do well and achieve the available exemptions from ICAS exams I understood this is something future employers would be attracted by and would speed up the exam process of the ICAS qualification.

 

Choosing the University of the West of Scotland was absolutely the right decision for me. The smaller class sizes meant I built strong relationships with my lecturers, felt confident contributing to discussions, and genuinely enjoyed my university experience. Keeping my focus at university wasn’t always easy though. I worked part time as a waitress t while studying at university. As my hours increased in later years, balancing work, study and a social life became more demanding — particularly around assignment deadlines, but it strengthened my discipline and focus. I was clear about my long-term goal, which helped me stay motivated knowing where my degree could take me in my future career. Studying through Covid was also challenging, as it was easy to feel detached from my classes – I used the extra time to study for my exams though, which gave me the best opportunity to achieving a strong degree result.

 

Having a mentor through the ICAS Foundation was one of the most valuable aspects of my experience. Laura played a key role in helping me stay focused and develop confidence in my abilities. She generously gave her time to review essays and reports, participate in an interview for my dissertation, support me with applications and interview preparation, and continually encourage me as I worked towards securing a CA training contract- I realise now how much time she gave up! Discussing my university work with my mentor — particularly subjects like management accounting — and how they translate into real-world practice gave me a much clearer understanding of the profession. Hearing first-hand what working in audit involves brought my studies to life and strengthened my motivation to pursue a career in accountancy.

 

The Foundation’s financial support was valuable as well - it helped purchase my first car, so I could commute to university from home, as well as textbooks and keeping my part time work hours manageable. 

 

Knowing I was competing with candidates from different universities across the central belt, I was determined to achieve the best academic result possible and present myself confidently and professionally at interview. Having the in-depth knowledge of the ICAS qualification that came with being part of the Foundation programme was key to demonstrating my knowledge of the profession and my commitment to successfully undertaking a graduate CA training role.

 

I currently work as an audit advisor at AAB and recently became a fully qualified chartered accountant - an achievement that I’m incredibly proud of. Reaching this milestone has been both rewarding and humbling, and it’s reinforced the value of the hard work and resilience required along the way.

 

I’ve also joined ICAS as an Alumni Ambassador, as I’m passionate about giving back and supporting the next generation of ICAS Foundation students as they begin their own journeys.

 

The support I received through the ICAS Foundation helped me grow both academically and personally. It strengthened my confidence, maturity, and professional skills, providing benefits that extended beyond my studies into my career. With guidance from the Foundation, I was able to achieve a First-Class Honours degree and gain clarity on the steps needed to start my career as an accountant. Support with funding, confidence-building, and practical knowledge all played a key role in helping me reach where I am today.