Assistant Senior Review

I work in the audit department for Scotland central belt. I usually am out at a clients office and complete the audit on site; this means lots of interactions with the client and working in teams every day, so collaboration is a crucial part of day-to-day work. Working in a global firm like EY, means we have a variety of clients in terms of their size and industry sector. We also rotate into new teams every few weeks, which means work is never the same!

I have recently completed all 6 exams in ICAS at a 'Test of competence level', meaning I have TPS and TPE to go. We get training courses on a yearly basis internally which means you get to travel to another city and get some time off work to learn relevant things. I have also developed business acumen as I begin to understand the strategic movements of companies and how they wish to grow/get better in their markets. I am also more confident when speaking with new people (clients) and am not afraid to challenge explanations given. Over the past year as I have been promoted to a Senior level, I have been involved in riskier/more complex areas, such as helping clients think about the financial impacts of Brexit etc.

I think that the company has a great working culture and as long as you are completing your assigned work in the agreed timeframes you get the most out of work. The fact that you are earning and doing exams at the same time is a real bonus as it almost feels like you are being paid to study! EY has lots of things to get involved in that aren't purely focused on your day job. For example, I have been involved with EY's charity in helping social enterprises in Glasgow, making you feel like you are bringing good things to the place you live.

You are assigned a counsellor and meet regularly to chat through progress/developments that you need to focus on for the next quarter. You are given structured time in your work planner for your classes and exams months in advance which allows you to plan your time/clients/holidays around this. You are given some time off to study which is also very helpful. You do have to be responsible for your studying though and make sure you get through the required work, but if you are organised then it is manageable.

You are given time for study leave and learning, which is good as you can put work on hold to really study for the days which you are off. Your catch ups with your counsellor can also help to flag if you are being given too much work or if you are needing any extra support.

When you are in ICAS classes the tutors are engaging and make the lectures interesting. You are given support functions for asking any questions and this means you can always ask questions. You can also go in to see the tutors to chat through questions if you would prefer a face-to-face. A lot of the 'Test of competence' course is now done through an online blended learning environment which is good for going at your own pace when you are just starting out.

The Chartered Accountancy Qualification is a fantastic qualification to have under your belt - it is known worldwide for being the stepping stone for getting involved in some really great roles in industry etc. I am able to bring the topics I have learnt in each exam more or less to my audit role, whether it be through understanding tax implications for classifying something as a fixed asset or for example financial accounting modules where you can apply knowledge of how items should be accounted for through the P&L & Balance sheet

There's a huge array of things to get involved in in EY. From charity events, to local sport, departmental get togethers/socials and more recently technological innovation workshops, you would actually have to find time to fit them all in! I was also recently involved in helping the recruitment of graduates/apprentices for the 2019 intake, which is interesting to be a part of the process for the future of the company!

Yes

Working for one of the biggest companies in the work from age 17 surely is something to be proud of! You begin to understand how the world really works and you are fresh from school which means you are already in a routine of 5 days a week (for work) and studying for exams. You are able to be financially independent too, which is another huge bonus.

I would strongly encourage anyone that's thinking about applying to EY for their business apprenticeship to do it. I say to everyone now I am so glad I did not go to Uni, as I feel like I am way ahead of where I would have been joining as a graduate. You are given responsibility from day 1 and have to work hard, but you develop a good work ethic which will help you in years to come