England U18 rugby league international Martha H is proving that elite sport and a high-flying professional career can go hand in hand after securing a competitive accountancy apprenticeship with Saffery.
The 18-year-old Bradford Grammar School student, who captained the Huddersfield Giants U19 Women’s team and BGS Senior 1st VII netball team, will join Saffery’s audit team in September after choosing the apprenticeship route over university.
Her position was secured with her A Level results today – an A in Economics, A in Geography and A in Business.
She said: “I’m so happy and proud of myself. I’m excited to start my apprenticeship and I’m thankful to all of the staff at BGS for their guidance.”
Martha will now combine paid work with professional accountancy studies as she works towards becoming a chartered accountant. She secured the position after a demanding selection process involving online cognitive and competence assessments, an online interview and an in-person assessment day, all while balancing Year 13 studies and elite sport.
“I’ve been very certain for the past few years that I wanted to go down the apprenticeship route rather than the traditional university route,” said Martha. “During my A Levels, my interest in the financial sector cemented the idea that I wanted to study accounting, so when I saw the opportunity at Saffery, it was a no-brainer to apply.
“The application and interview process was difficult, as I’d never had to do anything like this before, but I had to balance my Year 13 studies and revision with interview preparation and practice. My hard work paid off in the end.”
Her A-Level success comes after a remarkable year on the rugby league pitch, culminating in a trip to Perpignan with England U18s in July. Martha was selected in the starting line-up, wearing number 12, as England defeated Catalan Dragons Women 36-16 before beating France U20s 34-12.
Her rugby journey began with rugby union at school in Year 7 before she switched to rugby league. She has since risen through the ranks at Huddersfield Giants, which gave Martha her first opportunity at U16 level, and was named captain of the club’s U19 Women’s team.
“Captaining the Huddersfield Giants U19s side is a true honour,” said Martha. “Huddersfield Giants were the first Super League club to give me an opportunity when I was in the U16s and I have been with them ever since.
“Being selected as captain was a very proud moment for me, as I felt like my hard work and dedication to the club had been recognised.”
Martha joined BGS in Year 12 after being attracted by its sports facilities and quickly established herself as a key figure in school sport, becoming captain of the Senior 1st VII netball team.
“It was a real privilege and honour to be selected as captain of the Senior 1st VII netball team as someone who was new to the school,” she said. “Being able to captain the squad through both wins and losses was a great experience and really helped me develop many leadership skills.”
Balancing her academic and sporting commitments meant training most days after Sixth Form and often arriving early to complete homework or revision.
“Having these long days was difficult, but it allowed me to stay on top of playing both rugby and netball as well as studying for my A-Levels,” she said.
Heidi Hinchliffe, Head of Academic PE at BGS, said: “From the moment Martha joined us for Sixth Form, it was clear she was going to make the most of every opportunity that came her way.
“She has been, and will continue to be, a brilliant role model for our school community, not only showing that you can do it all if you make careful choices, but that girls can challenge stereotypes.
“I am delighted for Martha and extremely proud of all she has achieved both within and beyond school, and on and off the rugby pitch. She is a force to be reckoned with.”
Looking ahead, Martha aims to make her Super League debut for Huddersfield Giants Women and build a long-term career in finance, with long-term ambitions to open her own accounting firm.
“From the moment Martha joined us for Sixth Form, it was clear she was going to make the most of every opportunity that came her way.
“She has been, and will continue to be, a brilliant role model for our school community, not only showing that you can do it all if you make careful choices, but that girls can challenge stereotypes.
“I am delighted for Martha and extremely proud of all she has achieved both within and beyond school, and on and off the rugby pitch. She is a force to be reckoned with.”