For the last 18 years, I have specialised in project management and the implementation of ERP systems. Something I’ve noticed is that with the rapid changing technological advances, you have to adapt and learn new skills, otherwise you’ll get left behind.

Having worked for over 40 years, I decided to take a career break. But this year, following the pandemic, I was hungry for a worthwhile role which fits my requirements and contributes to an organisation that helps people and society.

What advice would you give individuals who are starting out in finance now? 

I would say to learn the basics of accounting and get your qualifications, because this is your groundwork. Without those qualifications, you will always be an underdog because the competition is high, and more jobs now will require qualifications. Having this foundation established first will open a lot of doors in the future and most of all, teach you to persevere, even when the job can get repetitive. This also means you’ll acquire a set of transferable skills which will serve you for the duration of your entire career, whether it’s programming skills, or project management.

Moreover, I would recommend working across multiple industries which will give you a much broader understanding of different sectors, and a greater variety of work environments and workloads.

Next, if you get the chance to work abroad, take it! Grab the opportunity with both hands, because as you get older it’s likely that your priorities will change. 

Finally, once you you’ve got accounting skills, learn to manage your own finances.

How has the industry changed since you first started out? And are these changes for the better? 

When I first started out in 1980, there was significantly more work to do as everything was manual. You either had books or very slow computers, which would sometimes mean waiting up to 24 hours to get your results. I had to do a lot of historical reporting and reports on numbers without actually making an economic contribution to the business.

It is also less restrictive than it once was. Initially, if you started off as an accountant, you had to stay as an accountant. When I did a degree in biochemistry, people couldn’t understand why I went into accounting, even though at the time opportunities in biochemistry were limited. Nowadays, people cross over into other sectors and areas using their transferable skills or qualifications – and bring their diverse expertise to the table.

Additionally, a by-product of the pandemic is the emphasis on flexible working. There are better opportunities now for women, who are more likely to have childcare and/or caring responsibilities and may benefit from more flexible working arrangements. There are no siloed roles for men and women anymore; these interchangeable roles give both men and women more opportunity to progress in their careers.

And this doesn’t stop at gender either; new technologies have allowed people of different ages to work together. Everybody has got something to offer and as you get older, you tend to contemplate rather than act more. The value of multigenerational workplaces has been uncovered; the older generations can learn from the younger generations about technology, and in turn, the younger generations can feed off their senior colleagues’ experience. The implementation and ongoing development of technology is a collaborative effort, and a positive change.

It has also come to light how important wellbeing has become in workplaces. I remember a time when if you tried to go home before 6:30PM, you were seen as slacking off. Now, more people than ever are aware of their mental health and wellbeing, and how work can impact this. Ultimately, I think it is technology and the automation of jobs and processes that has allowed people to consider this.

There are no siloed roles for men and women anymore; these interchangeable roles give both men and women more opportunity to progress in their careers.

What changes / improvements do you feel finance departments need to implement to drive further change and promote greater inclusivity?

One of the big things is the AI revolution, and how it has highlighted the skills disconnect, so it’s important that we analyse what competencies the financial sector will need in the future. And then, how do you develop them?

We already know about including people from different cultures, ages, and backgrounds, but I think there is still a long way to go to include the people who will bring different skill sets, particularly at a higher level, for example, women at senior levels. Certainly, in my working life I’ve already begun to see this happening, which really gives me hope for the next generation. As I come to the end of my working life, it’s great to see women out there at senior management level and making real change.

The bottom line is, the more people that are included in the workplace, the better it is for the economy.