SPOTLIGHT ON - ICAEW

SPOTLIGHT ON
HERTFORDSHIRE BUSINESS SCHOOL
AND BBH
Hertfordshire Business School (HBS), part
of the University of Hertfordshire, is located
at the impressive de Havilland campus in
Hatfield, and has run courses in accounting
and finance for many years. Alumni include
David Sproul, the current Senior Partner
and Chief Executive of Deloitte. BBH
has developed working relationships at
many levels with HBS and in this edition
of Spotlight we look at some of these in
detail.
SCHOLARS
Since 2003 BBH has sponsored selected
undergraduate students on the BA Accounting and
Finance programme. Students need to be residents
of BBH and meet set entry criteria. We currently
sponsor one student per year. Former students
include Erica Bean who works for Kier Group plc.
The current graduating student is St Albans resident
Jubayda Aktar. She has achieved a first-class honours
degree and included a successful year-long industrial
placement in her programme. Jubayda is now
looking for a graduate accounting role in the area.
BUSINESS WITH CONFIDENCE
icaew.com/bbh

Erica Bean
I found the benefits of receiving a scholarship to be so much more than the obvious financial
reward. Receiving the BBHSCA scholarship gave me a greater sense of self-confidence. I received
the award during a nervous first week at university, while starting to study a new subject. I felt that
if an organisation as prestigious as ICAEW believed I could be successful in this field, then I myself
should further believe this. I have no doubt that the scholarship has also helped me in my career
since university. It was a discussion point during graduate interviews such as that at KPMG where
I subsequently trained, with many partners interested in talking about the scholarship and what it
entailed. I have also had continued involvement with BBH since university, being an active member of
the BBH Student Society and helping to organise events for ICAEW students throughout Beds, Bucks
and Herts. I have been a full BBHSCA member since completing the ACA qualification two years
ago. Through both the Student Society and other BBH events, I have been able to build up a strong
network of friends and professional contacts.
Erica Bean
Being selected for the BBHSCA scholarship award has been a huge encouragement for me. As well
as the financial benefit, I have had the opportunity to meet many people from the society and was
also able to secure work experience at Lamburn & Turner accountants. I was able to gain a great deal
of insight into an accounting practice and I believe this helped me gain the confidence to go for my
work placement at the University of Hertfordshire’s finance department.
Jubayda Aktar
1. STAFF
The current Head of the Accounting, Finance and Economics
Department is BBH member Jon Easter. Jon set up BPP Luton
so has been involved in training many BBH members. Earlier
this year he instigated an advertising campaign through
the ICAEW website looking for accountants who wanted a
fresh challenge in the world of higher education. He was
delighted with the response and has recruited new tutors
including BBH member Dominic Keating.
Jon Easter
In teaching accounting and finance I
feel there is a real need to work with
accountants who wish to pass on their
real world knowledge and experience, to
inspire students and help them develop the
skills they are going to need to meet the
challenges of the future.
Jon Easter
After 20 years in senior finance roles within
the manufacturing and renewable energy
sectors I am looking forward to passing
on my knowledge and experience to our
students. It’s vital we equip them with the
knowledge, skills and attributes needed to
face and conquer the variety of challenges
they will face in the modern business world.
Dominic Keating
2. NEW COURSE
HBS always looks for employer input into the
developments of its programmes and has benefitted
considerably from having Mark Protherough, ICAEW’s
Executive Director, Learning & Professional Development,
on its Business School Advisory Board. Recently, Mark
has been talking with Jon Easter and Mike Pennington,
Managing Director of First Intuition. The introduction of
substantial fees for undergraduate students is expected
to have a big impact on the plans of bright 18 year-olds,
with more perhaps looking for employment rather than
heading to university. Based on this HBS is developing a
part-time degree programme that will complement and
build on the student’s ICAEW training and help them
develop their broad business thinking. Additionally, it
will focus on developing their key employability skills.
The programme will be promoted to BBH members in
the coming year and it is hoped to recruit students for a
September 2013 start.
Mark Protherough
This initiative will help to bring about
increased diversity of graduate and
professional accountancy training with
different pathways to qualification and I feel
it is to be welcomed and supported.
Mark Protherough
Beds, Bucks & Herts Society of Chartered Accountants
PO Box 1384 Hemel Hempstead HP1 9NA
T +44 (0)1223 654 682 E bbhsca@icaew.com icaew.com/eastengland
Published by Beds, Bucks & Herts
Society of Chartered Accountants
All rights reserved
© ICAEW 2012. MSDPLN11313 09/12