Welcome
From the President
I am delighted to take on the AAT presidency for 2024/25. Over my tenure, I want to be a clear voice for AAT members, looking at how we can best tackle the myriad of challenges facing the profession at the moment.
As someone who has run a practice for a number of years, I understand first-hand some of the pressures members are facing to stay relevant and deliver value to clients.
Over the course of my year as President, I look forward to playing my part in our collective push to advance the profession and drive up standards.
Finally, AAT’s social mobility mission is one that is important to me, and a person’s background or circumstance should never stand as a barrier to entry. AAT’s commitment to throwing open the doors to careers in finance to those willing to apply themselves and act with integrity is something that we can be very proud of.
Michael Steed MAAT, AAT President
Calum Fuller, Editor
Editor's letter
The promise of a new year brings often with it a sense of reinvigoration: a chance to press on and take the next step, and this issue of AAT Student Magazine certainly reflects that.
As we approach 2025, there are plenty of things here to help you on your way with your studies. In particular, I want to highlight the AccelerAATe 2025 student conference, which will be held 29-31 January and has a huge number of top speakers and sessions to help support and motivate you in your studies. Make sure you book your spot to avoid missing out.
It’s also heartening to hear how skills learned in previous careers are valued in accountancy roles, as Ben Mortiboy’s story in the Motivation section shows. Many of you will be in a similar position and able to help differentiate yourself in the job market as a result.
Finally, this is the final edition of 2024, so do enjoy a break over the festive period and look forward to an exciting 2025.
The Association of Accounting Technicians. 30 Churchill Place, London E14 5RE. Registered charity no.1050724. A company limited by guarantee (No. 1518983).