Isaac Dilley flies through his ATT and continues to cut his own path at Warrener Stewart
For Isaac, who’s been with us since October 2022, the ATT exams feel like a distant memory. Understandably – he sat all the written exams over 18 months ago, and his two-year ATT time qualification was completed in October last year. So, it’s an understatement to say we’re delighted he's finally achieved his qualification.
Hot on the heels of this major career milestone, we caught up with Isaac to discuss how the last twelve months have been at Warrener Stewart, and what’s next on the horizon.
Of course, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise to learn that he’s already sat all his CTA exams. While he’s still waiting on the results of his final two, he’s optimistic that he’ll round off the qualification with all first-time passes. This follows several notable milestones, including an academic paper published in a prestigious mathematics journal and being awarded ‘The Gravestock Medal’ for achieving the highest mark in the ATT VAT exam in May 2024.
Asked how he felt about the ATT qualification, Isaac was unequivocal. “Honestly, I’m really pleased to get the qualification – and to have sat all my CTA exams. When you finish university, the idea of suddenly having to balance exams with full-time work can feel quite daunting. Like – here we go again. But Warrener Stewart has been amazing every step of the way, giving me time off to study and to do practice questions, which is exactly what you need. It’s a relief to finish, though. I’m proud of the ATT qualification – hopefully the CTA will be just as positive.”
When asked how he struck the right balance between work and study, Isaac said he didn’t always get it right but that consistency was key. “At the beginning, there were a few evenings that felt pressured, but I soon learnt to spread my studying evenly – and to be consistent. I committed to a couple of practice questions a night. In the end, that really helped.”
“It’s also really important and valuable information,” Isaac continued. “Especially the ATT – that knowledge is the foundation for everything you do going forward. Then, when a client asks what the threshold is on a particular area and you know the answer – that feels good.”
The impact studying has had on Isaac’s day-to-day role is clear – as is the encouragement Warrener Stewart has shown him since day one. “I started in personal tax, mainly doing self-assessment returns, but now I do far more advisory work and spend as much time on corporate tax as personal tax, including VAT. Warrener Stewart has been amazing in that sense. They’ve allowed me to develop at my own pace and cut my own path. Now, they trust me to work on whatever comes my way. I certainly value the flexibility; it’s fun to have a mix.”
Clearly, Isaac has settled in well at Warrener Stewart, and having completed all his CTA exams we wonder if more are on the horizon. “Not right now. I feel like I’ve been doing exams my whole life. It’s good to have a break. But who know in the future – there’s so much to learn, but at the moment work is great and I’m happy to focus on that.”
Which means Isaac has more free time than normal. Not that he puts his feet up. He’s always busy – solving puzzles, learning code, fixing stuff. Basically feeding that inquisitive mathematical mind that made him want to become a tax advisor in the first place.
We’re always on the lookout for the next wave of talent – and there’s no better place to start your accountancy career than Warrener Stewart. To find out more about our trainee programs, get in touch.