Assurance Associate Review

I am a financial services associate specialising in wealth and asset management. I work on a multitude of clients mainly large hedge fund and real estate clients. I have regular contact with senior business contacts and conduct the audit of my clients financial statements. This often involves being at client site, including travelling internationally (I have been to Milan).

I have learnt many new skills whilst I have been working at EY. I have matured a great deal and developed many crucial business skills needed for this line of work. I have become more confident and professional during my time here. I have also had the opportunity to see how different companies work.

I enjoy my programme a great deal due to the fact that I am performing at a high level at the moment. I can see how some people may find this programme un-enjoyable due to the long hours and the difficulty of the work. Personally I have not had any issues so far.

The work side of the programme is organised well and everyone at the firm is very understanding that you do not have any experience yet. The studying side is awfully set up with the apprentices going to college for a week in September when their first exam is in May. May is often a very busy time with EY employees working at least 9-7 for January to April aswell.

I receive lots of support from my employer. The firm is so huge that there is always someone who can help you. EY is also known to be particularly understanding when it comes to personal issues and I have had a very good experience with this so far and have no complaints.

We go to college before each exam and the standard of teaching is extremely high. Support after this is extensive however most employees are too busy to actually utilise this and therefore it goes wasted. More support could definitely be provided from Kaplan and EY should work a better deal out.

I feel like my qualification is beneficial and becomes more beneficial the more exams you complete. It is also extremely respected in the industry and opens up lots of doors to high paying jobs. There is no argument that the chartered accountancy qualification is not beneficial when you are an accountant.

There are more activities than you could think of to get involved at EY. The firm is so big that everyone has already set up some form of club or another, whether it be badminton, football, chess, or networks for different types of people. You are strongly encouraged to get involved.

Yes

You have the opportunity to rise through the ranks and qualify as a chartered accountant at an early age. The pay is not incredibly good for the financial services industry but due to the age you come in it would be considered very good. The only negatives are the time and difficulty, but success is not an easy road.

Have some kind of economics education as this is very beneficial for the interview process. To not be nervous and definitely not get too concerned about the tests. To make sure that you are a dedicated individual. To be willing to make some sacrifices for your career. To be confident speaking to new people and in front of lots of people.