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.

The Training Link difference

So what’s driving results like these?

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

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

That approach is perfectly 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 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!!!”

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.

Michaela is the second Training Link student in the last three years to win that award, following Katie Robinson’s win in 2024. A remarkable achievement — and knowing Michaela, just the beginning.