Assistant Associate Auditor Review

My job title is Assistant Associate Auditor and daily tasks involve auditing balances, primarily assets on the balance sheet, eg cash, fixed assets and receivables although I have also done some payroll and revenue testing. On a daily basis we work in teams across both our own office and other offices so this presents a great learning curve but we are also almost always out on site at the client in audit so we have daily interactions with client staff from a range of different sectors.

I have learnt many new skills since starting with Deloitte in September, through attending college working towards my ACA qualification and also through internal training courses. I have completed the first three of my ACA exams and am due to sit another in July.

I have really enjoyed my time at Deloitte so far and definitely don't regret my decision not to go to university. Everyone within the Nottingham office is very friendly and always willing to help.

I do feel valued by Deloitte, the scheme that they are offering is excellent considering that we are coming straight from A levels. We often get feedback from assistant managers and managers which helps us to develop and improve. I also think that the partners also take the time to really include the junior members of staff as well which presents further learning experiences.

The BrightStart scheme is very well structured, with an induction and training upon joining the firm and then further training as your time with Deloitte progresses. There is a great network of support available, both before you join as part of the Buddy Scheme and also throughout your time with the firm, both on a local office basis and nationally. You are also assigned an appraiser once you join the firm who can also help to answer any of your questions. There are also clear work allocations assigned for each job which help to make the audit run smoothly.

We receive plenty of support from both within the firm and also from the college where we study towards our professional exams. At college there is a tutor which we can email with any queries who are very quick to respond and within the firm there is also our appraiser, our buddy and other people that we have worked on various jobs with within the office who are always more than willing to help.

We receive plenty of support from our employer as well, we have regular meetings with out appraiser to discuss progress and we receive a rating and official feedback as part of the appraisal process once a year when we are compared with other people of the same grade. As a BrightStart we are also treated much the same as the graduates. We also get feedback from every job that we work on for a period of a week or longer.

Considering that Deloitte are taking us straight from A levels with no other qualifications and also paying for our training costs the salary that we are getting paid is very good. We also get paid travel costs when we have to go out to site away from our normal commute. We also have social events with work which are paid for.

There are so many opportunities outside of work, from company events such as dinners and drinks after work to dinner events through college as well, we are all part of the NCASS (Nottingham Chartered Accountants Student Society, which will vary locally). Deloitte also take part in community events doing things to help within the local community in schools etc as well as charity events further abroad, some from the Nottingham office are climbing Mount Kilimanjaro later this month.

Yes

I think the BrightStart scheme is an excellent opportunity for those that know what they want to do and want an alternative to university, though it is also hard work at the same time.

Make sure that you know firm and have thought about which service line you would like to join and have done some research into what this entails. Practice the online tests before sitting them for real. Be confident when you come for your interviews and be dressed smartly, but at the end of the day relax and be yourself, Deloitte are a very friendly firm and will make you feel relaxed, that is when you will do your best.