Cleland & Co is celebrating the recent qualification of two of its employees.
Ellie Gill and Becky Harrison were first-time passers of their exams to become a Chartered Certified Accountant, and a Chartered Accountant, respectively.
Ellie joined Cleland & Co straight from school in 2021. She initially sat her CAT exams before progressing to her ACCA qualification.
Ellie said: “At Cleland, you’re backed by a team that genuinely cares and prioritises personal development. It’s made all the difference in qualifying, and is what attracted me to join the company full time after my work experience placement here. The tailored approach made me confident it was somewhere I could truly flourish.
“The flexibility I was offered from working on the job alongside studying undoubtedly gave me an advantage in my qualification success. It gave me practical experience to apply to the exam theory. Because of the mentorship I received, I have a strong passion to support new trainees joining the firm; now I want to be that mentor to them.”
Becky joined the firm as a university graduate in Mathematics, before starting the ICAEW route to qualification.
Becky explained: “At Cleland & Co, you’re encouraged to build a broad experience across audit, accounts, tax and advisory services. There’s no pressure to be pigeon-holed into specialising. You’re trusted with real responsibility early on, which helps grow your confidence while shaping you to be a well-rounded advisor for your clients.
“Through being nurtured in this way, I discovered my interest in real-time accounting. This has not only deepened my commercial expertise but has also led me to play a more influential role in the firm’s strategic development of this offering.”
Vicki Webster, Managing Director, said: “We are extremely proud of Ellie and Becky on the first-time passes of their Accountancy qualifications. They are a testament to what investing in homegrown talent looks like and how important it is.
“Our firm has a family feel, which is why we have a people-led approach. We prioritise long-term investment in talent and encourage continuous development for everyone, not just trainees. Despite being a small firm, we have big exposure through our clients. We aim to develop well-rounded advisors rather than just accountants or auditors. Over the years, we’ve refined our qualification programme to help our people grow into trusted professionals.”
Pictured: Ellie Gill and Becky Harrison
