Lots of people do not decide what they want to do professionally until their mid-20s, while many change career paths in their 30s, 40, 50s and even 60s. However, one person has known exactly what she wanted to be since she was a young girl, which helped her become the youngest Chartered Accountant in the world.
Grace Bayton holds the accolade as she was registered with the Charted Institute of Management Accountants at just 20 years old, after she made the brave decision to avoid college and university and go straight into accounting.
Bayton, from Caerphilly in Wales, instead opted to join an apprenticeship scheme, as it enabled her to work and gain qualifications at the same time.
“I think the experience of going to university is great for some people. You meet loads of new people and everything like that but, in all honesty, I was ready to work,” she told BBC News.
She admits she faced a lot of criticism from friends, family, and teachers about giving up on formal education, but is proud she stuck to her plan.
By the time Grace was 18, she was able to buy her first home, and on becoming a Chartered Accountant, she is considering purchasing her second.
Grace said she decided to go into accountancy as she enjoyed maths but was not keen on college education.
“Sometimes doing something different really pays off and I’m a good example of that,” she added.
Still so young, Grace has a lot of ambition left. According to her LinkedIn profile, she aspires to become a chief financial officer of a business, and it looks as though she is on the right track for a very successful career in accountancy.
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