Chapter 4 - from office junior to chartered accountant
This is Steph’s career journey
“ I’d just finished my A levels and at 18 years old I honestly had no idea what kind of job I wanted. I started looking for my first full‑time role, and I saw an advert from CHC for a payroll clerk/office junior. Something about it just clicked. I’d grown up around a family business, so the idea of joining another family‑run company felt familiar, and right from the start it felt like the right move.
During the interview, I asked whether CHC offered any training programmes. Getting qualifications while working was really important to me as I wanted the chance to learn, develop and work my way up the career ladder. Luckily, CHC were completely on board with that, and saying yes to that opportunity has shaped my entire career.
I spent two years on day release at Bury College and achieved my AAT qualification. After that, I moved on to CIMA, studying one day a week in Manchester. Five more years of juggling work and study later, I finally qualified as a Chartered Accountant.
Over the years, I worked my way through a whole range of roles: office junior, purchase ledger clerk, assistant accountant, then accountant and eventually began role‑sharing with Katie, our Finance Director. Every step taught me something new, and every challenge helped me grow.
After a while, I made the move into the world of IT, which was something I’d been interested in ever since studying it at A Level. I spent six months away from my usual role to build a bespoke system designed specifically for CHC. That system is now the accounting and costing platform the whole business uses, and aside from qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, it’s one of the achievements I’m most proud of. Starting something completely from scratch and seeing it successfully rolled out across the business was a huge challenge, but it’s still one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done.
When I look back, there are a few people who have had an impact on my career journey. Katie Myers has been the biggest influence on me at CHC. She supported me through all my studies and encouraged me to keep moving forward in my career. Because she’d been through the same qualifications herself, she understood exactly what I was going through, and I’ve learned so much from her over the years. Howard Chamberlain also had a huge impact on me. His “never give up” attitude and his belief that hard work always pays off really stayed with me. His sponsorship and encouragement throughout my qualifications meant a great deal.
And while the achievements and qualifications matter, what I’ve enjoyed most about working at CHC is the people. I’ve made lifelong friends here; some colleagues quickly became some of my favourite people. I’ve built memories that will stay with me, especially those with my amazing friend Katie Welsh. I feel lucky to have known her, and I wouldn’t have had that privilege without CHC.
If I were to offer one piece of advice to anyone starting their career with us today, it would be that CHC is a great place to work. There are opportunities to progress if you’re willing to work hard, keep learning, and take on new challenges.”
