From Pharmacy to Bookkeeping: Jill Mackey’s Inspirational Career Shift

Jill’s professional life started in 2001, after she earned a Master’s Degree in Pharmacy. For 13 years, she worked as a community pharmacist in Manchester, a role she found incredibly stressful, especially after having children. The demanding nature of the job made it impossible to achieve the work-life balance she desired.

In 2014, Jill bravely decided it was time for a significant career change. She ventured into entrepreneurship, opening a children’s nursery in Old Trafford. With no formal accounting training, she immersed herself in the practicalities of running a business, learning bookkeeping and accounts on the job with the invaluable help of her accountant. The nursery thrived, and it’s clear her dedication and hard work paid off.

However, the unforeseen challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic brought immense difficulties. Despite her best efforts to keep the business afloat for another year, the soaring overheads and new operational requirements proved insurmountable, leading to the heartbreaking closure of the nursery in 2021. Jill then took a much-needed career break, cherishing the time she spent focusing on her family.

After more than a year, Jill felt a renewed urge to re-engage professionally and embark on something new for herself. Having always considered herself a ‘numbers person,’ she began exploring career options that would leverage her innate skills while offering the flexibility she sought. It was during this exploration that she decided to pursue a qualification in bookkeeping.

The Training Link Experience

Embarking on a new learning journey can be daunting, especially when confidence is a concern. For Jill, a distance learning course was the perfect solution, allowing her to set her own pace and overcome her initial anxieties. She chose Training Link, and the benefits of their structured approach quickly became apparent. Jill found the course content to be exceptionally well-explained and thorough, with just the right amount of repetition to ensure concepts truly resonated.

The extensive question banks and online resources proved invaluable, providing ample practice and steadily building her confidence. Crucially, the positive and encouraging feedback from her tutor played a significant role in motivating her throughout the programme.

Looking to the Future

Just two weeks ago (at the time of writing), Jill successfully passed her final exam, marking a pivotal moment in her career transformation. She is now actively exploring opportunities within established accountancy and bookkeeping firms, with an inspiring long-term vision of establishing her own bookkeeping company.

Jill’s journey from a demanding pharmacy role to a successful nursery owner, and now to a qualified bookkeeper, demonstrates remarkable resilience and a clear pathway to achieving both professional ambition and personal well-being.