Login/Register 
Your cart is currently empty.
Following an exciting evening of award presentations at the AAT Annual Training Provider Awards 2025 held in Solihull, Birmingham on the 13th of March 2025. The final award of the evening was announced for the AAT Student of the Year. There were 4 finalists with one being the standout winner, Katy Hickey from e-Careers.
Katy won the award because of her outstanding study success, gaining distinctions at both AAT Level 2, AAT Level 3. She was also commended for her altruistic nature in supporting her fellow students. Katy took the initiative to create a digital space where students could stay connected during their studies. She took on the role of collating student information on the space feeding back to both providers and AAT.
Katy Hickey was the proud recipient of the Association of Accounting Technicians ninth annual award: for the AAT UK Student of Year 2025. Katy’s achievement was particularly impressive when it’s realised that she was selected as a standout student from over 65,000 students who study the AAT each year.
The AAT Awards celebrated exceptional achievements and life-changing excellence across the accountancy sector. The awards were presented by Claire Bennison who is the AAT’s Executive Director of Customer, Partnership and Innovations. Her belief in the award process is demonstrated when she said:
“These awards showcase the transformative power of vocational accountancy education. The winners demonstrate how dedicated training providers are innovating and supporting student success in remarkable ways with AAT’s qualifications – opening doors to rewarding careers for more people from more backgrounds.” (Claire Bennison, 2025, AAT Award Ceremony)
Without taking anything away from the outstanding achievements of all winners on the night, winning an award as a student deserves an extra callout for how far they have come.
Whilst all awards are equal in stature, excellence and achievement, they are won by institutions and employees from within the training industry. Through their connections, they understand the student care and quality assurance needed to ultimately deliver excellence. It is then those who exceed others in that excellence who win the awards.
A student does not have that same level of understanding or background knowledge when they begin their study journey. They are simply individuals navigating their personal training and career pathway. To have the tenacity to shine through amongst 65,000 other learners whilst also juggling employment and family commitments, takes an incredibly special individual.
Katy receiving the Student of the Year award also helps the wider student population looking to enrol. The award gives a strong message that they can trust e-Careers and her personal tutor Karen Groves to support them and their studies through to success.
Katy worked for 10 years in the Charity Sector working in roles from Inclusion, Youth Manager and Head of Operations. Unexpectedly, her career aspirations shifted when she was made redundant in September 2023.
Motivated by her passion for finance and budgets, she decided to pursue a fresh start in September 2023 by enrolling in AAT Levels 2 - 4 with e-Careers.
Her studies were completed whilst working two part-time roles and supporting family commitments. Despite her busy schedule, she remained determined throughout to eventually qualify as an AAT Accountant.
Katy had some previous exposure to finance working with external accountants on budgets, cashflow and basic charity accounting. It was this work that ignited her interest to pursue a career in accounting.
Katy said, “I didn’t really understand double-entry bookkeeping or how everything fitted together”. “A few friends had studied AAT over the years, so I knew it was the best place to start to build a solid foundation in finance.
“Once I decided on AAT, I knew straight away I wanted to study online. I wanted flexibility and the ability to go at my own pace”.
“I looked into it and spoke with a few different providers, but e-Careers stood out for several reasons”.
“It was the most cost-effective option, and I liked that it offered both hard copy books and online materials”.
“I could also choose between live sessions for a structured approach or recorded sessions to study flexibly, which felt like the best of both worlds”.
“The course consultant, Luke, also made a big impression. He took the time to answer all my questions over the phone, went through each level, pricing, and exams without rushing me at all. I really felt in safe hands”.
“He also explained the tutor support, and I was initially unsure what that would be like”.
“I’d heard from others that support can be slow with some providers, but I was really impressed. Karen was responsive, patient, and always took the time to explain things in a different way until I understood, even when I asked a lot of questions!”
Katy studied the full AAT qualification:
She started her AAT Certificate in Accounting Level 2 in September 2023 and took 8 - 9 months to complete at distinction level.
Katy said, “I started Level 2 alongside a new part-time job, so it took some adjusting”. “I set aside around 8 hours per week to study”.
“Initially, I delayed booking my first exam because I “didn’t feel ready”. “I stayed on after an exam prep live session with Karen, who encouraged me to go for it and book the exam because I was ready, so I did, and I didn’t look back”.
Katy’s AAT Level 2 exam schedule was:
Introduction to Bookkeeping – Sat February 2024
Principles of Bookkeeping Controls – Sat March 2024
Principles of Costing – Sat April 2024
The Business Environment – Sat June 2024
When Katy said she never looked back, she really flourished. She had found a study structure that worked for her and her distinction exam results became her driving force to want more success.
Katy took a structured, positive learning approach, which created her motivation to study each week.
Following on from her success at AAT Level 2, Katy began her AAT Level 3 studies in July 2024. She amazingly completed AAT Level 3 in just 5 months.
Katy said, “I followed the same approach as with Level 2 and booked all my exams upfront”.
“I planned my study schedule by chapters and always left two weeks before each exam for revision and mocks”. “This structure really helped me stay focused, and because my exam centre was flexible, I knew I could adjust the date if needed, but I actually ended up bringing some exams forward”.
“A big achievement for me was completing Financial Accounting: Preparing Financial Statements in 9 weeks: “I studied one full day a week (7–8 hours), treating it like a workday”.
“I also spent entire weekends revising before exams”.
“My study overall was around 8 hours per week plus intensive revision blocks at the end”.
Katy’s AAT Level 3 exam schedule was:
Financial Accounting: Preparing Financial Statements - Sat September 2024
Tax processes for Business - Sat September 2024
Management Accounting Techniques - Sat October 2024
Business Awareness - Sat November 2024
Not only did Katy pass Level 3 in 5 months, the high level of pass rates in each exam meant she achieved a distinction again at level 3.
Katy began her AAT Level 4 studies shortly after completing the Level 3 in December 2024 to support her study momentum. She completed Level 4 in 9 months.
Katy said, “By Level 4, I was working two part-time jobs, the second as a Finance Controller, so I expected it to take longer”.
“I kept the same structure but shifted my mindset, I didn’t aim to be perfect, I just focused on knowing enough across everything”.
“I’m really proud to say, I passed every AAT exam including Level 4, where I achieved a Merit, at the first attempt”.
“Yes, when Karen told me to just book my exam because I’d already done the work and I knew the subject”. “That was a real turning point for me. Everything just clicked, my study structure, discipline, and motivation all fell into place”.
“After my first exam, I also felt much less pressure because I knew what to expect, the exam centre, the setup, even where I’d be sitting. That familiarity really helped calm my nerves”.
“When you hear “distance learning” or “online learning” alongside phrases like learn at your own pace, it can make you think you’ll be left to figure everything out on your own, which can sometimes knock motivation”.
“That wasn’t my experience at all”.
“I had the best of both worlds, hard copy books alongside online materials, plus pretty much daily support from my tutor”. “I’ve done online courses before where you’re just watching outdated pre-recorded videos, completing an assessment at the end, and then waiting 6–8 weeks for feedback and it really wasn’t enjoyable”.
“So, I was genuinely surprised by how much support I got. In fact, I felt more supported studying online with e-Careers than I did attending college as a teenager!”
“I currently work in finance across two different charities, one of which I’ve been with since starting my AAT journey in 2023”.
“I’m not entirely sure what’s next yet, but I can definitely see myself staying in both finance and the charity sector. At some point, I may move back into one full-time role”.
“Remembering why I started in the first place really helped when motivation dipped, along with the support and encouragement from my tutor Karen”.
“When I felt overwhelmed starting Level 4, Karen explained that it’s completely normal to feel less prepared than in Levels 2 and 3 because of the volume of content”.
“Once that clicked for me, everything changed, you don’t need to know everything perfectly, you just need to understand enough of everything”.
“Speaking to other students at e-Careers also made a huge difference. We’ve got WhatsApp groups where everyone supports each other, and I’m part of AAT Facebook groups too. It really helps to connect with people going through the same thing”.
Katy won the award because of her commitment to her studies and the outstanding success that she achieved in passing her exams.
Katy is the epitome of a great AAT student. Her proactive approach to the wider AAT community led her to apply for and secure a spot on the Level 3 AAT Student Advisory Board where she shared her experiences and insights directly with AAT staff. Being part of a group dedicated to enhancing an already excellent program has been a highlight of her journey.
Katy is also an active contributor to AAT Facebook groups where she frequently offers support and guidance to other students, sharing tips and encouragement based on her own experiences.
The AAT Training Provider Awards is one of the two leading award ceremonies in the accountancy sector alongside the PQ Magazine Annual Awards.
The AAT Training Provider Awards recognise outstanding AAT training providers who excel in student support, guidance and success. The awards also recognise outstanding achievements by individual students and apprentices within the AAT community.
The individual award winners were: Katy Hickey (Student of the Year, e-Careers) and Liam Wild (Apprentice of the Year, Savills).
e-Careers is one of the few UK providers whose teacher won AAT Tutor of the Year in one year and whose student won AAT Student of the year the following year.
Karen Groves (Faculty Director of Accounting at e-Careers) won the 2024 Tutor of the Year award; Katy Hickey, a student at the same institution, won the 2025 Student of the Year award.
One success is inclined to spread and is often the driver for more success. When an award is received in education, it is inspirational to the wider team and student audience. When a tutor is recognised as the country’s best, their students benefit and are motivated to become the country’s best too.
e-Careers offer the most comprehensive AAT programmes and support in the UK at the lowest package prices. The programmes are designed to suit all learning styles and all stages of accountancy knowledge. Being a beginner with no qualifications or experience is absolutely fine. You will feel at ease because you will be studying amongst other students in the same position and be supported by tutors who will guide you throughout your studies.
If you are one of the following, then AAT study at e-Careers is perfect for you:
I’ll conclude this article by letting Katy give you her first-hand words of encouragement to inspire you to begin your own career journey:
“I returned to studying 11 years after university, so it took me a little while to get back into the swing of it. But once I found my rhythm, I didn’t look back”.
“I’d say do your research first and make sure AAT is right for your career path, so you know what you’re committing to”.
“If you decide it is the right step, then trust that you can do it. Consistency is key, whatever your study plan looks like, stick to it”.
“Nothing changes, if nothing changes”.
“Honestly, it was a huge surprise to even be nominated by e-Careers, let alone shortlisted and then to win”.
“It feels special to have my hard work recognised. AAT is such a supportive community where everyone genuinely wants each other to succeed, and I feel proud to be part of it”.
If you would like to listen to Katy talking live about her AAT journey or if you would like to ask her a question, join her at our AAT webinar - book your FREE place here.
Free Accounting & Bookkeeping Events & Webinars by e-Careers | e-Careers
If you would like to know more about AAT training at e-Careers visit our website https://www.e-careers.com/courses/accounting
If you would like to have a chat with one of our specialist AAT advisors, please call on +44 (0) 20 3198 7700 or email [email protected].
Join the thousands of individuals, small businesses, and large corporations who trust e-Careers. ​
Chat with our friendly experts today to discuss your training needs. ​Call us now on
Alternatively, you can request a callback​
Enquire Now
AAT Accounting
CIPD Human Resources 
DMI Digital Marketing 
CV Writing
Interview Coaching
AWS Cloud Computing
AI Apprenticeships
AI Consulting
