Mercer & Hole – Keep your options open

Steve joined Mercer & Hole in September 2021 and has found leaving school and joining the firm “a smooth transition”. Steve studied A Levels in History, Photography, Economics and Maths and is now six months into a two year apprenticeship with the audit team.

Based in the firm’s Rickmansworth office, a typical day for him involves account preparation for a range of different clients and he enjoys getting out and meeting clients face to face and seeing how their different business operations work.

Steve comments: “At the start of my A levels I was a bit uncertain about whether I wanted to go to university, but half way through the first year my mind was set on going into an apprenticeship.”

“I saw the Mercer & Hole apprenticeship advertised and I also have a friend whose brother worked for the firm as an apprentice, so I knew a little bit about them. I had a telephone interview first and then an in-person interview and very quickly knew after that I had been offered the role.”

Steve combines work with his college days, either on campus in Islington or at London Bridge and enjoys the opportunity to meet other apprentices, as well as those already at Mercer & Hole. “It’s great as I get to spend time with the other apprentices in the firm as well as those from other firms. I’m building my own network of contacts.”

Steve’s advice to anyone considering the choice between university or an apprenticeship is simple: “Always keep your options open. Schools tend to push uni quite a bit and apprenticeships less, so just be aware of and keep those options open. Take a look, it is definitely worth doing. Depending on what qualification you want to do it can also be a faster course to get you there. And even though you are working straight away, you get to meet lots of different people. It’s more fun than you might realise. “

Steve also doesn’t feel like he has missed out on going to university for the broader experience of life and independent living. “Mercer & Hole are great as apprentices finish at 4.30pm so I feel we have a good work life balance which gives me time to study and pursue other interests. I would recommend it to anyone.”