Ellie Ash becomes ACCA-qualified!

We are delighted to announce that Ellie Ash passed her final ACCA exam last month and is now fully qualified with ACCA!

Reflecting on her milestone achievement, Ellie said: “It feels amazing – a real mix of pride and relief! It’s been a long journey with a lot of hard work, so reaching the end and becoming ACCA qualified is a huge milestone for me. I’m excited for the opportunities this qualification can bring me in the future.”

Born and raised in Liverpool, Ellie worked in a wine bar on Castle Street after finishing her A levels at sixth form. It was at this bar, however, that Ellie’s accountancy career began.

“One of the regular customers there started chatting with me about my future career plans, and I mentioned that I was interested in accountancy,” Ellie said. “He kindly offered to speak to his accountants to see if there were any opportunities available.”

“That led to an interview with Butterworth Barlow in November 2017, but at the time, they weren’t hiring.

“Then, in March 2018, I received an email from Gavin, who said they were now looking for a trainee, so I was invited down for a second interview. The rest is history!”

Ellie has spent seven years at Butterworth Barlow, working through her AAT and ACCA qualifications and progressing from trainee Accounts Assistant to Accounts Executive, Assistant Manager, and now Manager.

At Butterworth Barlow, we’re dedicated to giving our trainees the very best support as they learn and study for their accountancy qualifications.

“Throughout my training, the team at Butterworth Barlow have been incredibly supportive – giving me the time, resources, and encouragement to complete my ACCA studies alongside my work,” Ellie shared.

Outside of work, Ellie likes to read, explore new restaurants, and spend time with family and friends.

She looks forward to returning to these activities more now that her studies are over.

“The most challenging aspect [of training] was juggling everything – work, college, revision, and trying to maintain a personal life. As I progressed into the more advanced exams, the workload and pressure increased significantly. It meant missing out on a lot of social plans and constantly having to say no to friends and family because I needed to revise. I won’t miss that part, and I’m sure that the feeling is mutual!”

Despite the challenges, Ellie’s journey to qualification has been an overall positive one.

“The best part was definitely receiving those midnight text messages on results day letting me know I had passed another exam. Each pass felt like a huge achievement and made all the hard work and sacrifices worthwhile.

“Now that I’m qualified, I am looking forward to continuing to grow professionally within Butterworth Barlow and taking on more responsibility in my new role as Manager.”

We’re extremely proud of Ellie’s achievements and are honoured to have played a part in her journey to ACCA-qualified accountant.

Well done, Ellie!