Audit Associate Review

We go out to client sites and audit their financial statements. We deal with a range of different clients in a range of different sectors, all around the country, meaning some jobs are away jobs. We audit every aspect of their financial statements from cash to debtors to payroll to revenue and so on. We work with people from all levels at EY and with all levels in the external client teams.

I have learnt and developed lots of new skills. I have greatly developed my excel skills since joining EY as most of what we do involves excel. I have learnt a lot of new formulas that I had never even heard of before ! I have developed my interaction and communication skills - be that internally within EY or externally with clients. I have learnt new skills such as how to audit !

I enjoy my programme. It is the first proper job I have had since I joined straight from college. It is scary to go straight into the corporate world of work but I am enjoying it. It has its very stressful times such as 'busy season' and when exams and training are going on but the people that we work with and that coach, train and teach us are all lovely and really help us.

We have buddy groups and counsellors as well as 'families' which help us and give us the support we need. My programme is 4 and a half years long with 15 exams across those 4 and a half years which gives us on the job learning and off the job learning as well as college time and study leave.

EY is such a big business but I work in an office which is one of the smallest. There are around 40 people in our office therefore everyone works together and the juniors are close to the management team who give us support on the job with audit queries, as well as support during exams and other times.

I am only 7 months into my training programme and have my first exams coming up shortly - however ICAEW and Kaplan have been very supportive with monthly emails and queries. The Kaplan website is quite clear and easy to use therefore this helps with our studying for these qualifications. They do help.

We have 15 exams over the 4 and a half year school leaver programme which help give us knowledge on every aspect of being a chartered accountant. (Our qualification is an apprenticeship that means we come out as a chartered accountant). Our 2nd exam is assurance which is obviously good for someone who works in assurance !

Yes, there are lots of extra curricular activities to get involved with at EY. I am part of the social committee and our office has month end drinks every month as well as a larger social every 2-3 months on top of a big summer and Christmas party. There are networks such as womens network, mental health network and the men in the office play football. We recently went to our regional chartered accountant student society dinner which had lots of accounting firms from the wider region all come together for a dinner which a lot of us attended too,

Yes

I would recommend EY to a friend as a school leaver program rather than going to university as you don't have to go to uni for 3/4 years then do a graduate program which takes another 2/3 years - you go straight into the world of work, earning money, with hands on on the job and off the job learning with professionals .

The mains tips or advice I would give would be ; - Make sure going straight into the world of work is what you want. - Be prepared for 'busy season' with lots of work stress and late nights - Be prepared for hard exams and lots of revision - Good interaction and communication skills are necessary