DCG Success Stories

Derby College Group accounting student Fadoua Idrissi already has a degree from her native Morocco but enrolled on the AAT course to gain UK recognised accounting qualifications.

Fadoua, who came to Britain in 2016, worked in accountancy and banking in Morocco and is now pursuing her ambition to become a charted accountant.

Juggling college work with looking after her three-year-old boy, she has completed the AAT levels 2 and 3 at the Roundhouse and will be progressing to level 4 next year.

She said: “Once I’ve done that I could go and work as an accounts assistant but that’s not my goal. I want to train as a chartered accountant. I like the idea of working  in a firm of accountants so I can work with a number of businesses, not just one. I like the budgeting and costing side of accounting best, as without knowing what the budget is, a business can’t make decisions.”

Fadoua, who described what she’s learned at DCG as “not new but different”, studied for her Moroccan accounting qualifications in French, the country’s unofficial second language.

As a single mum, it’s a balancing act to fit in her studies with childcare.

She added: “I have to do my college work between 8pm and 4am while my son is asleep. It’s hard work sometimes but my tutor understands and makes sure I have everything I need to get on with my work.”

Fadoua has found everyone at DCG friendly and supportive and much prefers living in Derby to being in a big city.

And, when it comes to numbers, it seems her young son takes after her. Fadoua added: “I always liked maths at school and I think my son is going to be good at it too. He’s only three and he can already count up to 100!”