In his third blog, Ethan continues to write about experiences from his Business Officer Apprenticeship at Leeds East Academy:
Patterns can be found through all our lives. I have a pattern of waking up, showering, eating breakfast and going to work every morning. If my pattern is thrown off I worry how I can resolve it. I will even use a pattern to organise my blog each week while highlighting how I have been able to use what I learnt in college in the workplace. Amongst an array of constant learning, this week I have been able to see the benefit of weekly, monthly and yearly patterns through analysing purchase invoices paid during the 2017/18 academic year.
As part of my finance training I was able to sit down with my line manager Shazia and get a tutorial using PS Financials Accounting system. As she showed me how I can see the breakdown of each invoice input, I was then able to see how the purchase control ledgers was used on this accounting system. For every invoice I could see how there was a purchases entry (with the suppliers' name), a VAT entry and purchases control ledger entry.
Following the brief tutorial, we spoke about my experiences thus far this year. Shazia explained that she wants us to become a transparent, dynamic team and each person needs to fill their own role instead of be told explicitly what they should do and when. Being given a level of responsibility made me feel needed in the organisation and I immediately saw the impact that this leadership style had on me as an individual.
"This week I have been able to see the benefit of weekly, monthly and yearly patterns through analysing purchase invoices paid during the 2017/18 academic year."
As part of my role I oversee the processing of purchase invoices so that they can be paid. Once an invoice is processed on the system, it is then left for the finance manager to check the pay list. This week, I asked the finance manager, Steve, the pattern for getting a pay list together and putting the payment through. Having this information makes me more available to help the suppliers’ when they have a query with our finance teams as to the payment of an invoice. I was able to see the power of Steve’s pattern he had put in place.
I hope that as I develop in my role at Leeds East Academy I can create or even innovate existing patterns and processes to improve the academy.