Finance Skills Development Programme
Build practical expertise in budget accounting and financial management through our comprehensive autumn 2025 programme
Register Your InterestReal-World Finance Training
We're launching this programme because we keep meeting talented people who understand finance in theory but struggle with the messy realities of actual business accounting. You know — dealing with incomplete records, figuring out what expenses actually mean for cash flow, or explaining budget variances to someone who just wants to know if they can afford new equipment.
Our approach focuses on the skills we use every day with clients. Nothing theoretical here. We'll work through real scenarios, actual case studies from our practice, and the kind of problems that show up at 4pm on a Friday when everyone's depending on you to make sense of the numbers.
The programme runs from September through November 2025, with applications opening in early summer. Small groups only — we've found that eight participants works best for the hands-on approach we take.
Programme Structure
Twelve weeks of focused learning, with each module building on practical skills you'll actually use in finance roles
Foundation Weeks (Modules 1-3)
We start with budget fundamentals, but not the textbook version. Real budgets are messy — income arrives late, expenses pop up unexpectedly, and departments change their minds. You'll learn to work with actual business data and understand why theoretical approaches often fall apart in practice.
Application Phase (Modules 4-8)
This is where things get interesting. We'll work through case studies from our client files — properly anonymized, of course. You'll see how different industries handle budget planning, learn to spot common mistakes before they become expensive problems, and practice explaining financial concepts to non-finance people.
Advanced Practice (Modules 9-12)
The final phase focuses on the skills that separate competent finance professionals from exceptional ones. Crisis management, stakeholder communication, and the kind of analytical thinking that helps businesses make better decisions. Plus practical exam preparation for those pursuing professional qualifications.
Miranda Blackwood
Lead Programme Instructor
Miranda has spent the last eight years helping businesses untangle their financial systems. She started in corporate finance, got frustrated with how disconnected it felt from actual business operations, and joined us three years ago. She's the one who suggested this programme after meeting too many capable people who just needed practical experience to excel in finance roles.
Evelyn Hartwell
Programme Coordinator
Evelyn manages the practical side of the programme and brings fifteen years of experience working with businesses across Yorkshire. She has a talent for spotting where people get stuck with financial concepts and finding ways to explain things that actually make sense. She'll also be your main point of contact throughout the programme.
Catherine Thornfield
Guest Lecturer Series
Catherine runs monthly sessions covering specialized topics — cash flow forecasting, regulatory compliance, and industry-specific challenges. She worked in financial consulting for twelve years before joining our practice, and she has a knack for explaining complex regulations in ways that don't put people to sleep.