Assistant Review

I effectively work as an Assistant for a full-time job in an office, with my studying being on the side of the job I do. It is a nice work atmosphere and I do a lot of work relating to the courses I am doing for education. I am also allowed days off from work in order to go to college days or study at home for my exams, paid for in whole by my company.

I've learned a lot of new skills since starting in the firm. If I looked back to when I started only a few months ago I wouldn't have thought I'd feel as experienced and comfortable in my role and the jobs I do as I do now. With that being said, I do feel that I still have a lot more to learn as a result of the number of courses I can go on and exams I have to study for before being settled in the jobs I am asked to do.

As I work a full-time job, the work I do is very much similar to that of the job I would be in without the apprenticeship element. The programme aspect of the job role is that of studying outside of work hours, which can be very tiring at times however it pays off well with the amount of help I receive from both work and college. It is stressful but allows me to get on with it and feel accomplished at the end of it.

I feel very valued by RSM as a result of them putting their faith in me coming from a background where I had no prior experience before joining the firm. It allows me to settle in well to the job and the people around me too, as I already feel like a part of the team and the work I do mimics as such.

The structure is relatively liquidic, in that I am able to decide when I sit my exams and, if I'm doing home study, what days I take off in order to prepare for the upcoming exams I have. This can sometimes feel rushed however, as you are encouraged to take the exam weeks after your last college/study day, which I feel puts a lot of pressure on you to get your head down and revise for it. For some that works well, but for me personally it stresses me out more than it should.

My training provider, BPP, provide me with a lot of material (books, question banks, flipcards, etc.) in order for me to get my head down and get on with the courses I need to study for exams on. As well as this, there are a lot of online resources that I have access to, such as the Online Portal which I have to complete Achievement Ladder steps in order for me to understand how prepared I am for the exam. I am also contacted by BPP personally to see how I'm getting on with these steps, and ask me why I haven't done one in case there is something I am struggling on or need advice on, which is great.

As previously mentioned before, RSM provide me with study days off in order to prepare for my upcoming exams. Furthermore they pay for all educational elements of my programme which saves me the worry of having to save up for any exam entries or college courses to go on. This is perfect for me and also adds to me feeling valued in the firm as they want to invest a lot of money into me in order for me to do well.

I currently still live with my mother so living costs are minimal, as well as general travel and daily costs as I am walking distance from the firm's office, as well as being able to walk down and grab some lunch for a reasonable price from the local corner shop or supermarket. As far as salary goes in that regard, taking into account the fact that my firm pay for the fees of my apprenticeship, my salary is pretty good for a starter. Of course, more money would be brilliant, as always, but I can imagine that the more I become qualified and pass more of my exams in my apprenticeship, the more valuable I will be to the firm and therefore the higher the salary will be in later years.

There is always an upcoming event planned from within the firm that people will take part in. Whether it's a sports day, charity event or just simply going out for a meal on a friday evening, it all adds up to feeling more and more welcome into the firm as I begin to interact with a larger number of people involved, and gets me settled in knowing a lot of people in the office.

Yes

If you're willing to put in the hard work, they are willing to give you the chance to show them. I came into the firm with ZERO prior experience in accounting or business advisory, however showing them through other educational qualifications that I am willing to work hard to achieve high grades, they showed reason in shortlisting me to visit for an interview in which I ultimately came out on top. As long as you can show to them that you are a hard-working individual with an open mind and ready to learn a lot about the world of accounting, you are surely in the right place to progress in your career.

Be yourself, and show that you are willing to learn a lot from the career choice you have picked. My apprenticeship programme lasts anywhere between 2 and 5 years depending on if I further evolve my understanding of accounting through more qualifications, and so it is vital that you are confident in your career choice before applying, but also being confident in thinking that you have picked with right career choice too.