Training - staff moving from industry to practice

We have recently recruited a new member of staff who has previously only worked in industry.

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We are a small practice and have recently recruited a new qualified member of staff who has previously only worked in industry for large PLCs. They have been with us now for three months and have settled in well. The problem is thier lack of knowledge and practical experience in the basics. Does anyone have any experiences or know of any training providers who offer courses in moving from industry to practice?

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By Mr_awol
09th Feb 2018 10:45

At risk of upsetting all those A-Web members in industry, I'd say you are just going to have to treat them like any other graduate trainee, despite their qualified status.

There are some industry skills that need to be learned when moving from practice (use of pivot tables, how to fill up the remaining three days of your working week - that sort of stuff) but unless they were an exceptional candidate I'd be reluctant to take someone on like you have.

You've got something of a dead cost for the first couple of years as you'll be paying them a premium but not getting the full benefit of it, but a least you wont have the disruption and cost of putting them through their qualifications I guess.

On a positive note, the time in industry, together with the items learned during study, should mean that your trainee will pick stuff up a hell of a lot quicker than they otherwise would have.

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Replying to Mr_awol:
paddle steamer
By DJKL
09th Feb 2018 15:06

Mr_awol wrote:

how to fill up the remaining three days of your working week - that sort of stuff.

What do you think golf, fishing and shooting is for.

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Replying to DJKL:
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By Mr_awol
09th Feb 2018 16:00

But all of those things betray the fact that youre idle (unless you pretend to be working from home)

The challenge is to 'look busy' at the same time..........

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Replying to Mr_awol:
paddle steamer
By DJKL
09th Feb 2018 16:31

You got me.

I have no client work to do today (well a couple of fees but preparing fees is boring) so today will be/ has been sorting through hundreds of old football programmes which I will take to sell to the shop near Easter Road, possibly clear from that room the two Ligne Roset chairs
to go to auction and at that juncture I may even be able to see the carpet.

My posting on here is during the tea/cigar breaks, honest guv.

My New Year resolution is to sell all the junk cluttering the house so I am also listing items on E Bay, it is surprising what is lying around, I think from the superficial search to date we should in total get near £2k.

We are also going to start emptying the house in Sweden this summer (Bl**dy Brexit) , bringing stuff back in the car (a lot of board games, toolsets etc plus records/cassettes) and most of that will then also be sold or refill the cleared space (Really cannot see me selling my albums- if I totally clear spare room that could be a music listening room, wonder how I will persuade other half)

And come the better weather the garden/outdoors beckons, the half complete landscaping needs finished and I really ought to replace a couple of window sills.

The fact is these days I am idle re work, three days a week at the day job and maybe on average 5 hours a week on private client work (though tends to be in fits and starts), the catch is other chores tend to fill the time.

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By andy.partridge
09th Feb 2018 12:27

I agree with Mr_wally, if only to wind him up.

I have seen it in action the other way too. Top 4 ACAs moving into industry but without very much idea how business works. I recall one blue-chip recruiting their lead auditor for a senior financial position and his naivety was something to behold.

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Replying to andy.partridge:
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By Mr_awol
09th Feb 2018 12:49

andy.partridge wrote:

if only to wind him up.

On the contrary - I'm please that you're coming round to my way of thinking. It shows that there's hope for you yet ;)

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paddle steamer
By DJKL
09th Feb 2018 15:25

On a more serious note , depending on the previous industry roles held there are skill advantages that can go the other way, commercial reality, negotiation skills etc are possibly stronger in industry unless comparing with say someone who has run their own firm; try to harness these skillsets into the work to be done.

With the greatest respect (and as someone who started out in practice) I acquired the above, practical legal work experience, skills re long term planning and stronger business finance/banking skills in industry; if you can harness these for your clients you may fill an existing area where prior to his/her arrival you were weaker.

For instance for a few of my clients I have given input re lease terms they are considering taking, rates appeals, EPC requirements, planning issues and I possibly have stronger banking contacts re say property funding. Whilst I really do not earn extra fees from the odd input re these things they are useful in making clients think you are more than a tax planning, tax compliance , accounts preparation machine.

Industry experience, harnessed, can make a firm far broader as the first port of call re myriad business matters, and often brings with it a good range of connections with professionals in other fields where clients can, if required, be pointed.

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