Hello I’m Fred! Before joining Old Mill, I was an A-Level student at Richard Huish College studying Business, Politics and Photography (it was a weird mix, but they were all subjects I loved and enjoyed, Business being my favourite). At college I participated in lots of clubs and activities, one of which I ran myself which was called “Investment and Finances club” where I taught people about well, investments and finances which I believed were topics that the school curriculum never really covered. Alongside my A-Levels I operated my own wedding and events photography business which I still do now, it’s an amazing side hustle to do! I am currently in the Tax Team based in the Exeter office working primarily in the Personal Tax Team, however soon I will be helping the Corporate Tax Team also. I joined Old Mill in August 2022 which is crazy to say as it’s going so fast due to my enjoyment of its roles and day to day activities!

Study

I am currently studying towards a professional tax qualification titled ATT (Association of Taxation Technicians) in a Level 4 Apprenticeship format, which when completed I could use to progress onto a Level 7 tax qualification titled CTA (Chartered Tax Adviser) both will greatly help me progress my career here at Old Mill.

Why Old Mill?

When I was applying for apprenticeships post A-Level I had several things in mind: I wanted a company which had a great culture, cared, and nurtured its employees making them strive for the best and had amazing career progression opportunities! All of which Old Mill had and more, and I have been blown away with the company’s values and ethics since I have been working here which are incomparable to any company I have worked with before or heard of either. For example, a few days ago, I received a parcel of tea and biscuits in the post from the Tax Team for Mental Health Week, it’s kind gestures like this that truly symbolise what caring for employees means and made me want to join Old Mill.

Day to Day 

Because I typically work in the office, I drive in most days however, now that I have learnt all the systems etc. I do occasionally work from the comfort of my own home which can be quite refreshing actually and it’s good if you need to do something at lunch! Normally I have a meeting with my Tax Manager or other Tax seniors to discuss different tasks and work processes for me to do or learn in the day or week. I am constantly learning things and using new ideas throughout my job which is good for someone like me who likes to learn something new! I am surprised about the responsibility I have been handed from the offset which indicates the company’s trust in its employees and the work values which it invokes such as taking pride and owning your work. As well as this I also gained First Aid at Work and Fire Safety qualifications through opportunities at the Old Mill which means I am an Exeter office Fire Warden as well.

Support

I have such an amazing support network within my team to help me with any challenge I may face or any queries I may have, these do not have to be just purely related to certain tasks concerning the job they can be general questions as well! I often have catch up calls asking me about not only how my job is going but aspects of my personal life too which is nice to hear. There have been multiple instances of times when people outside my team have helped me as well, such as systems or IT issues on my first days when people in the office have stepped in and given me a hand. No matter what issue I may face I always know someone will be there to help me.

Looking forward

I aim to gain all my relevant Tax qualifications and take on any career opportunities which will occur during my time at Old Mill.