KPMG 360 Apprentice Review

I am a KPMG360 apprentice at KPMG LLP UK. This 6 year apprenticeship gives us the opportunity to rotate around departments to gain experience relevant experience before choosing a function to specialise in and work towards a professional qualification. So far I have spent 6 months in Private Client Tax where I learnt to prepare tax returns for trusts and private individuals. I am now starting my second 6 month placement in National Markets Audit. During my first year with KPMG I have been studying for level 3 AAT.

I have been studying for level 3 AAT alongside working, however I find that the practice experience working on clients has been the most useful in developing my skills as a young professional. I have learnt great communication skills, team work and integrity. I have also expanded my skills on some computer packages too.

I have found working in a professional environment with very friendly people to be extremely enjoyable and I seriously recommend it as an alternative to university. The culture at KPMG is very inclusive and everyone I have met has been very welcoming and friendly and i've definitely felt like i can be myself here too.

At KPMG we are encouraged to regularly reach out for feedback from our managers and our colleagues. I was quite surprised to find I had overwhelmingly positive feedback from a range of people that had giving me work. This led to me feeling very valued. It is also very nice to see managers giving you time out of their day to explain a concept and ensure you understand the work you are doing.

Our induction week alone shows us all how well organised our programme is. A week in KPMG's Birmingham office was very well structured and organised. The week was spent getting to know the other apprentices and learning all about KPMG LLP as a business and important skills we would need in a professional environment. I would definitely say the organisation is good.

BBP is our training provider. We get a wealth of online content, physical materials and time in college. We can also reach out to a variety of BBP tutors if we need specific help. I think there are a couple of places for BBP to improve on however we are allowed to give feedback and ensure the college is doing the best it can for it's students.

KPMG offers a huge amount of support to assist with our study. Designated days for college and study leave help us prepare for our exams. we have been given different contacts to email or call up depending on the issues we have and if we need someone to privately chat too etc. rather than our supervisor or managers which is nice to have.

There are significant living costs where I live in Bristol, especially for a new apprentice. However, KPMG pays a salary that accounts for where we are located in the UK. Fortunately I am located close to the office so travel costs are negligible. I would definitely say the wage is to my liking and really good in comparison to other businesses.

I have made many friends at KPMG and there are lots of social events organised. KPMG in Bristol has a sports and social committee that plans office wide events once a month. Also most departments plan their own social events. I also had the opportunity of volunteering at local schools teaching children employability skills.

Yes

It is a very friendly place to work that opens many doorways to a great career. The work is enjoyable, especially if you have an interest in accounting, and there is such a range of departments for you to experience and make an educated choice as to where you want to specialise. The wage is pretty decent too and you meet a lot of nice and friendly staff members also.

I would recommend being honest and upfront throughout the application process and being yourself. Dress smart and be prepared with anything you think you might need. ensure you learn from the critical feedback you get and also ensure that you enjoy yourself and make sure you get information about improving your interview skills and ask some questions too.