VAT IT - CA TOPP Entrepreneurship Programme

As the 2024 year draws to a close, we would like to congratulate our 3rd Year TOPP trainees on the phenomenal achievement of becoming qualified CA(SA)'s. It has been a pleasure to witness your articles journey and everything that you made of it. Each and every one of you has made a significant impact on our business and we could not be prouder of your achievements. We look forward to watching your careers flourish in the years to come.

It gave us immense pride to recognise Luke Tollman for the ‘TOPP of the Year’ award at our year end function. This well-deserved recognition is a reflection of Luke's exceptional dedication, hard work, and commitment to excellence. Throughout his articles career, he has consistently gone above and beyond and has been an absolute pleasure to work with. Luke has now successfully been signed off and is officially a registered CA(SA). He is staying on in the VAT IT group, where he will undoubtedly continue to reach milestones and inspire those around him. Congratulations Luke and thank you for everything.

The toppIT CA internship held in November is still TOPP of mind for all of us. What a week it was, collaborating, team-building, laughing and making memories. Here are some pictures taken during the week that highlight some of the key moments. We loved sharing our 'work hard, play hard' culture with the interns!

Last week, a group of talented accounting students from various universities around the country joined us for our annual toppIT internship.     The programme was filled with challenging business simulations, presentations, interviews, networking events and social activities. We enjoyed getting to know the interns in a practical work environment and observing the ways they interact, collaborate and solve problems in innovative ways.    We were incredibly impressed with the caliber of the candidates, with each one bringing fresh perspectives, ideas, creativity and enthusiasm to the programme.    To our interns, we hope that we succeeded in providing you with a sense of our culture, our business and our values. It was a privilege sharing this experience with all of you. We are grateful to be ending the year on this positive note and look forward to another year of empowering the next generation of young professionals in 2025.

We are so incredibly proud of our phenomenal trainees Luke Tollman and Nicholas Forshaw for being awarded the Disruptive Innovator Award at the SAICA Trainee Trailblazer Awards last night! Luke and Nic have been assets to our business from the start of their traineeship, going above and beyond in every rotation and improving processes along the way. We have not only been blown away by their work inside our business, but also by the business they founded, Apti. We have no doubt that Apti will continue to grow from strength to strength, with these world-class young leaders at the wheel. Congratulations guys!

Congratulations to Daneel Steinmann CA(SA), our alumni, who was nominated as a finalist for SAICA's 35 under 35!

We are incredibly proud of our trainees Luke Tollman and Nicholas Forshaw for being nominated as finalists for the 2025 SAICA Trainee Trailblazer Awards!

"The TOPP programme at VATIT has really been the most unbelievable exposure to the world of Business and Entrepreneurship. To be exposed to and learn from such dynamic and empowering business leaders as well as to move around the different Business Units within the group and understand the underpinnings of so many different global entities has been one of the best learning curves that I could have asked for!" - Daniel Riesenburg, 3rd Year Article Clerk

"The VAT IT article program requires you to take responsibility for your own path. You won’t be given a list of “tick boxes” to do each day. Instead, you are allowed to explore different industries, roles and companies to find what you are best at by rotating between the various businesses in the group. I have had the privilege of working directly with senior managers across the group and can testify to their mentality of innovation, constantly looking for the next big idea. Working at VAT IT, you hear about the concept of a meritocracy often. Management shows little regard for age, experience and background, instead focusing on hiring and promoting individuals who work hard and are brilliant at what they do. The program is flexible and growing, offering a personal experience for each trainee. Individuals who have a strong work ethic, are eager to learn and who are willing to be thrown in the deep end will thrive in this environment. The program is small and competitive, which results in a group of trainees who challenge and push each other to achieve at the highest level. I am thankful for the experience VAT IT has given me, and look forward to continuing my career at the company after articles". - Adriaan Basson, 3rd Year Article Clerk.

"Completing my CA(SA) articles at VAT IT has been an incredibly enriching experience. The unique structure of the program, which allows for rotations across different businesses within the group, offers exposure to various industries and roles. This diversity has enabled me to develop a broad range of technical and soft skills, while also learning how to adapt to new environments quickly. The program is flexible, and the unstructured nature of the rotations allows for opportunities to explore different areas and find your niche. However, this can also be challenging if you're someone who prefers a more defined path. To thrive, you need to be willing to dive in, figure things out on the fly, and take ownership of your career journey. What stands out to me is the firm’s learning mentality. You’re encouraged to be proactive, take initiative, and go the extra mile. Those efforts are genuinely recognised and rewarded. From the very beginning, I felt that my contributions were valued, and I was never treated as "just a trainee." This culture of empowerment has made my articles both challenging and rewarding, and I feel well-equipped to start my career as a qualified CA(SA)".