Audit Associate Review

I am an audit associate at Grant Thornton UK LLP. I work in the audit department and have done so since August 2011. I am involved in various audits for different clients, all different industries and sizes. I am now over 2 years in and now taking on more senior roles and leading teams of people. My job involves lots of dealings with clients face to face.

Audit was totally new to me as I knew virtually nothing when I started! I am now AAT qualified and have 'MAAT' after my name. I started ICAS in September 2012 to get my CA.

I enjoy it a lot. I definitely think it was more interesting to be working and studying at the same time rather than going to university. I have made lots of new friends and I enjoy the work I have to do.

If we exceed expectations, we are awarded recognition points which equate to money. This is a good incentive to make me strive to do better. We also have quarterly catch ups with our line managers to discuss our progress and any issues we may have. Despite being very young, I am treated like every other member of the department and given the same challenges which makes me feel like a valued member of the team at GT.

It is well organised. I started off on AAT and then started ICAS. It is compulsory for me to attend regular training throughout my time at Grant Thornton to ensure I am being given the correct information to carry out my job. We received a lot of training when we started but the training support is on going which is very good.

As mentioned above, we receive a lot of support throughout our training which is ongoing. My line manager will catch up on my training each quarter and will raise any concerns which he may have.

See comment above.

Considering I do not have a degree, I am paid well. We also have receive recognition points where we do something excellent which equates to money which is a good way to make me strive to do better.

We are made to attend at least one charity event each year and are given the day off work to do this. We are also encouraged to get involved in networking to meet people from other companies which is a good way to build up contacts.

Yes

They are a very friendly firm to work for. They have a very good internal training facility and no matter your level, will always make your job more challenging..which makes it more interesting!

The best thing about my apprenticeship is the experience I’m getting on a daily basis. I personally think this is the most valuable thing a person can have. For someone who chooses the university route, they will come out after four years with a degree but will not necessarily have any experience in the workplace. I know that working and studying at the same time may not sound very fun but if you are keen to learn and progress, it’s definitely worth it. I aim to be a qualified Chartered Accountant within five years of leaving school whereas if I had gone down the university route I would require an honours degree and would then need to spend a further three years at ICAS. Whilst it does involve a lot of hard work and effort it means I will achieve my ultimate goal in five years instead of seven, and with no student debt.