Audit Assistant Review

Spend the majority of time out at client sites with only a few days a month in the office. Depending on the size of the job this can be as part of a team or individually. As an auditor, our role is to verify that the figures disclosed in a company’s accounts are not so far from the truth that they may mislead users of such information. The way we do this is by setting expectations of the movement we anticipate there to be from the prior year signed accounts, through discussion with management and review of relevant information, before we then compare the actual figures and corroborate any deviations from our expectations. When starting as a school leaver, you largely perform detailed testing on balances within the financial statements, such as tests of controls, which then support the judgement made over the accounts as a whole. This means they’re is quite a lot of administration initially in order to pick samples and monitor information received from clients in response, however it provides a good foundation for the more complex areas of work which we move on to.

Have developed a lot of skills during my apprenticeship, most notably confidence. Starting work straight from school is quite daunting when you’re joining a team with experienced individuals, but I’ve learnt to become a valued member of the team and am now not afraid to input in discussions. Teamwork and communication are other skills that I feel I’ve really worked on as these are key in my day to day role.

I enjoy the programme - it is well established and there is fantastic support available. It also helps that there is an intake of recruits each year and so there are always people around who were in the same position as you not so long ago to answer any questions. My employer also offers a very competitive salary/benefits package.

The programme itself is well established. There is a clear route of progression throughout the programme with countless opportunities to pursue particular areas of interest to you. Ot is very much a case of what you make it; you have the ability to take as much as you like from the whole experience. The only organisational issues I’ve experienced are external, to do with the qualification provider not communicating fully with work, meaning there have been a few mix ups of college dates.

Each new starter gets a buddy. This tends to be a graduate/school leaver in the previous intake who are there to answer any “silly” questions you might have from a more informal perspective. I then have a line manager who is there for any general concerns I may have about progression, the jobs I’m booked to, etc. and we have periodic catch ups to see how I’m getting on. There is also an exam training manager who is there for any college/exam related queries. There is also an intake of recruits each year and so there are always people around who were in the same position as you not so long ago to answer any questions.

Whilst we attend college in day release capacity, there is also a virtual learning environment which acts as a sort of portal. On here is lots of material that can help when preparing for exams or revisiting course notes. There are also ladder steps which we have to complete on here for each course we sit. These get progressively harder and are geared to lead you up to a full exam style mock. We also have periodic review calls with the training provider to see how we are progressing through the apprenticeship - sort of a catch up on what exams we’ve sat since last time, how we are doing in covering the skills and behaviours required and any queries we have. Whilst these calls are good in principal, they are not with the same person each time and so it feels more like procedure than anything else. The lack of continuity doesn’t make it a very personalised experience.

The content we learn for the qualifications is of mixed use. Some aspects make things at work make a lot more sense once we revisit them as it puts the learning in to real life context. Other areas it does not feel are wholly applicable to day to day work, but I guess help to provide a rounded knowledge overall.

One of the things I really like about the company is that there are always social activities/events going on. Whether you’re in to sport or not at all, like to network or just want to meet a few more people from different departments in the office, there’s something for everybody. In just the short time I’ve been here we’ve had pub quizzes, month end drinks, football tournaments and weekly practice, an office choir, charity fundraisers, a summer barbecue, Christmas parties, local industry networking events, new starter bowling, the list goes on and on!

Yes

The company is fantastic in what they offer employees. Yes, hard work is required in return, but they are very aware of the need to keep staff happy to maintain productivity. This is evident through the multitude of social events/activities on offer, the collaborative nature across the different departments of the office and the welcoming atmosphere that seems this generates.

Whilst grades are important, they’re not everything. One thing that really made RSM stand out to me was the fact that they’re not so big that you’re just another cog in the corporate wheel. They have a genuine interest in you as an individual and what skills and experiences you can bring to the team.