Why bother recruiting graduate trainees? Put that question to Scott McLennan CA (pictured above, right), Finance Director for Homes at Cala Group, and he answers without hesitation. “We’re bringing in keen, young talent with fresh ideas,” he says. “We set a high bar for applicants, but the quality we’re rewarded with is excellent. These graduates are the future leaders of the business. By investing in them early, we’re building a valuable pipeline of talent.”

And sitting opposite McLennan in Cala’s Edinburgh office is one of those potential leaders. Thomas Thow is the first trainee to join Cala since the finance team introduced an ICAS scheme within its overall graduate programme, making it an ICAS ATO (or authorised training ofice). The two-year process combines the CA qualification with rotations within Cala’s regional businesses that bring valuable commercial experience. Thow is clearly relishing that variety. 

“My timetable is planned well in advance, and the team understands the importance of study leave. It’s all about time management and discipline”

Thomas Thow, Trainee

“Exposure to different parts of the business has been invaluable,” he says. “I’ve had the chance to work in both group and regional finance, and a big takeaway for me has been the contrast between the two. Group finance is more technical and aligns closely with the ICAS syllabus, while regional finance is much more commercially focused on the broader business strategy. I’m learning a lot on the accounting side, so being involved in meetings around that strategy is really interesting and helps me see how the two can work together.”

“The finance team here is very commercially minded,” says Kyle Ruparelia CA (pictured above, left), Regional Finance Director and one of those who has helped Thow. “It’s not just about producing financial statements, it’s about understanding the business, working with different departments and contributing to key decisions.”

Ruparelia believes that this industry-based training offers an attractive alternative to the traditional Big Four route he took. “I learnt a lot about auditing other businesses, but at Cala you learn how a business really operates,” he says. “That hands-on experience is incredibly valuable.”

And as well as engaging with a broad range of experienced company personnel, Thow also works with graduate trainees from other disciplines, such as construction. “It adds another layer to my learning experience,” he says. “I really enjoy seeing the perspective of other trainees in terms of how they approach situations and tackle problems, and seeing if I can pick anything up from that.”

New chapter

Cala marks its 150th anniversary this year, having come a long way from its foundations as the City of Aberdeen Land Association. After moving from land management and property development to housebuilding, it became the first Scottish company to list on the London Stock Exchange.

The business was taken over by a management buyout backed by Legal & General Ventures in 1999. Subsequent changes of ownership followed before it was acquired by Patron Capital and Sixth Street Partners last year for £1.35bn.

“We feel like we’re starting a new chapter,” says McLennan. “We have an ambitious plan to grow the number of homes we build each year to 4,000 across the group by 2029, and the finance team plays an important role in supporting that growth. Exciting times.”

“We now have a three-year programme that dovetails with the ICAS curriculum and syllabus, and it works very well”

Scott McLennan CA, Financial Director for Homes

Cala Group employs around 1,300 people across 11 offices and has around 80 live developments throughout the south of England, the Cotswolds and Scotland.

It’s a big business for Thow to plug into, and a key challenge for any ICAS trainee is balancing work commitments with the levels of study required for the qualification. But while that does require support and understanding from the employer, McLennan believes the new online courses are an important step forward.  

“The way the ICAS programme is structured now is quite different to when I trained,” he says. “It’s more flexible, allowing students to spread their exams across different terms. And at Cala, we make sure there’s a clear plan in place so that graduates can dedicate time to their studies.”

Thow agrees. “The workload is significant, but Cala makes it manageable,” he says. “My timetable is planned well in advance, and the team understands the importance of study leave. It’s all about time management and discipline, including the evenings and the weekends. Everyone understands that.”

People business

Mentoring, formal and informal, is also important. “Cala is very much a people business,” says Ruparelia. “The quality of the people and the attitudes they demonstrate are key to us, which is why we recruited Thomas. He spent part of his first year working with me and, while I wouldn’t call myself a formal mentor, we spoke regularly about the business, his learnings and his ICAS exams.

“I think that’s one of the things that makes the Cala culture so positive,” he adds. “Graduates don’t just report to a line manager – they have a network of experienced people supporting them. And on a more formal basis, there is an extensive programme across the group that is open to anyone who wants to be mentored or offer mentoring support.”

“What’s great about Thomas coming in – and any new faces across the wider business – is the fresh perspective and energy that brings”

Kyle Ruparelia CA, Regional Finance Director

Ruparelia also believes that the group’s overall approach to graduate recruitment is important to a business where the workforce is relatively settled. “Because Cala has been around for a number of years, and has grown in recent times, we have a very low attrition rate in finance,” he says. “That’s obviously a good thing – you want people to be happy working here and to retain talent. But if you have low attrition, you don’t have new faces coming in as often. What’s great about Thomas coming in – and any new faces across the wider business – is the fresh perspective and energy that brings.”

McLennan, who originally studied accountancy and finance at the University of Strathclyde and began his career at Deloitte in Glasgow, believes the ICAS element to the graduate recruitment initiative was a no-brainer. “We effectively joined the graduate programme that has been developed over the group’s wider talent business but, for any accountancy programme like this in Scotland to be effective, it’s got to be affiliated to ICAS. So we now have a three-year programme that dovetails with the ICAS curriculum and syllabus, and it works very well – so much so that we’re going to repeat the recruitment process in August for a finance graduate.”

For Thow, the journey to date has been challenging but rewarding. “It’s not easy but I’ve learned so much already, and I know there’s still more to come. It’s a great place to start your career.”

cala.co.uk/earlycareers

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