When everything fell apart

At 15, Michaela lost her mum suddenly — her sole parent and primary source of support. A few months later, COVID hit. She found herself stuck at home, isolated, and fighting a battle with depression and anxiety. It eventually pulled her out of sixth form — just before her A-levels.

And these weren’t just any A-levels. Michaela had been studying Maths, Further Maths, Physics, and Computer Science.

For nearly a year, she was out of education and out of work.

Then came a moment of clarity.

“My mum would be turning in her grave if she knew I was sitting around doing nothing.”

That was the turning point.

From rock bottom to Distinction

With no parental support and significant financial barriers, Michaela didn’t wait for someone to rescue her. She researched apprenticeships independently, secured a business administration role at a charity in Canary Wharf, and started building a career from scratch.

It was there, working alongside the finance team, that something clicked.

“How methodical all the processes were, how it fit together, and how ultimately it was underpinning the business.”

She was hooked.

She didn’t just pass her apprenticeship. She completed it with a Distinction, earned a promotion to Accounts Assistant, and moved into her own place.

The numbers that tell the story

When her employer offered to fund her AAT Level 2 training, Michaela chose Training Link.

What followed was extraordinary.

100% in Introduction to Bookkeeping.
99% in Principles of Bookkeeping Controls.
98% in Principles of Costing.
95% in The Business Environment.

An overall average of 98%.

She has since carried that form into Level 3, scoring 98% in Tax Processes for Businesses — placing her among the top-performing AAT students in the country.

And she achieved all of this while working full-time and managing fibromyalgia — a condition that causes severe fatigue and pain sensitivity.

It isn’t just about working hard

So what’s driving results like these?

Michaela is clear that it isn’t just about effort. It’s about understanding.

“It’s not just a game of memory — it’s a game of reasoning and logic.”

That approach is matched to the way Training Link course material is built. Not just explaining what to do, but why. Packed with examples, practice questions, and the kind of context that makes accounting click rather than blur.

“Having an online copy of all the materials was a lifesaver. There can be quiet periods as an accounts assistant, and I was lucky enough to have time to get on with my studies during work!”

And when she had questions, her tutor — Ben Campbell, PQ Magazine Tutor of the Year 2026 — was never far away.

“Super-speedy replies to all my questions and always a quick turnaround for marked tasks.”

Her employer saw exactly what was happening. Before she had even finished Level 2, they committed to funding her all the way through to Level 4. When asked which training provider she wanted, her answer needed three exclamation marks:

“TRAINING LINK!!!”

How to pick your AAT training provider

You’ve read Michaela’s story. Maybe you’re thinking about a career change, or you’ve already started one and need the qualification to back it up.

So how do you choose who to study with?

We can talk about our course books, extra resources, and additional tests. These all give you the best chance to study successfully and learn the subject inside and out. And we’re more than happy to talk about the level of support you’ll get from Ben and the rest of our award-winning tutor team.

But let’s keep things simple.

You want a career in accounting. To do that you need to gain an AAT qualification — so the one statistic that counts is pass rates.

Here’s how we compare with the AAT’s worldwide average pass rates:

Course Level	Worldwide Average	Training Link	+/- worldwide average	Assessment Numbers
AAT Level 1 Bookkeeping	85.7%	95.2%	+11%	62
AAT Level 2 Accounting	77.1%	90.8%	+17.76%	892
AAT Level 3 Accounting	69.4%	85.8%	+23.6%	618
AAT Level 4 Accounting	71.4%	87.8%	+22.9%	368

*Please note that the information in the above table refers to the pass rates based on computer-based assessments (CBAs) only; these are not achievement rates for the overall qualification. The pass rates shown are the rates for all CBAs completed between 1 January 2025 and 31 December 2025 and on the Q2022 standards.

It’s no wonder Michaela’s employer chose us.

What Michaela did next

Since completing Level 2, she’s been headhunted into a new purchase ledger role. She’s participating in webinars to share her story with other learners — despite, by her own admission, not being someone who typically shares publicly.

And in 2026, she was named Student of the Year at the AAT Training Provider Awards — one of the most prestigious honours AAT gives out each year.

Michaela is the second Training Link student in the last three years to win that award, following Katie Robinson’s win in 2024.

In her own words:

“I am giving myself a better life, accomplishing whatever I decide to put my mind to, as my mum always wanted.”