KPMG 360 Apprentice Review

The KPMG 360 Programme is rotational, meaning that you spend 6 months at a time in a ‘placement’ within the business. This means that your day-to-day role can often change based on what department you are currently on placement in. However, no matter what business function you’re in, you will always be a supporting member of a high-performing team, working together to achieve a common goal. For example, my placements so far have been in Audit, meaning that my day-to-day role consists of performing audit work, meeting with clients, travelling all over the country, and assisting engagement teams with any tasks that they delegate to you. My day-to-day activities are rewarding as they are a great learning experience and help me develop my professional skills.

The biggest skill that I have developed since joining the 360 apprenticeship programme is how to communicate professionally in a business environment both written and verbally. This includes sending emails, writing reports, heading meetings, public speaking, and so on. Business communication needs to be informative and straight to the point. I have had many opportunities to grow and develop these skills, both through communication with colleagues and clients. There are also the skills that you develop relating to the placement you are in. For example, I have learned many audit procedures and the legal requirements that we must meet in our work. These are extremely relevant skills that can be applied to all future jobs you work on. Exposure to a variety of people, clients, and working environments really allows for you to develop skills quickly.

For the most part, I thoroughly enjoy my apprenticeship with KPMG. You notice how quickly you progress and develop within the programme, which is motivating and drives you to work hard. You meet a diverse range of people and make connections with many of them. Specific departments within KPMG also host many events, such as socials where you do quizzes, go bowling, etc. which is really enjoyable. However, there are a few aspects of the programme that can make me enjoy my time there less. In specific placements, you may find yourself working long hours and travelling far. After a long period of time, it begins to take its toll. However, KPMG recognise your hard work and dedication with rewards and also ensure that you are not always overworked by monitoring your hours.

The 360 programme is very well organised and structured. We know when our placements are due to start and finish, when our university tuition and exam dates are and what jobs/teams we will be on. This is all planned out and communicated to us very far in advance, so we are always aware of what will be happening within the programme. The apprenticeship management team also provide us with weekly updates on apprenticeship related topics with any actions we have to take. We have been fully informed of what the future of our programme will hold and what different routes are available to us. This is always communicated to us very clearly.

KPMG’s support network is excellent! There are many different people you can go to for any problems you have. If it relates to your studies or exams, you can talk to the professional qualifications team. If you need support on anything you’re working on, your team is always happy to answer your questions and assist you. They are always understanding of the fact that you’re an apprentice and you have a lot to learn. One of the biggest supporting figures throughout your apprenticeship is your performance manager. If you are stressed, want to chat or have any questions, your performance manager will provide you with one to one support. They are open and easy to talk to, and can point you in the right direction for almost anything you need. KPMG instill into you that you should never be afraid to ask questions. However, there may be the odd occasion where your colleagues on the job are extremely busy and you don’t have many opportunities to reach out to them for help. In these instances it can become quite difficult to get work completed.

BPP are very supportive of your studies towards your exams. They have tried and tested teaching methods that prepare you for the exams with question practice. They also provide you with a wealth of resources to study with (for example textbooks, question books, the VLE, online practice exams, a forum to discuss the course). You can also get in touch with a tutor at any time via the BPP forum or through emails to ask any questions you have relating to your course. The tutors there are extremely experienced and are great teachers. In many cases, the classes are small, meaning that the tutors can really focus on your needs and provide you with one to one support. BPP is the best training provider I’ve ever been with.

The KPMG 360 programme starts off by studying AAT levels 3 and 4. You then progress onto the relevant qualifications depending on where you specialise in the business (E.G. ACA, CIMA, ATT, etc.) So far I have studied AAT and the topics covered have been extremely relevant to my role. Since the qualification centres around accountancy and finance, you will come across many concepts in the tuition that are actually used in your real-life work. KPMG also pick optional modules for you to complete in your course as they believe they are extremely relevant to your role in the company, which essentially tailors the course to your role. The fact that you also move on to do the relevant qualifications for the route you choose to specialise in means that the qualification will only get more relevant to your role. BPP also require you to do ‘reflective statements’ wherein they ask you to describe how you have displayed certain behaviours over the course of your apprenticeship (E.G teamwork, communication, etc.) Reflecting on times like these helps you to develop your skills as it encourages you to think about how you can improve and what actions to take in future. I can attribute a lot of my success in my role to the skills and knowledge I gained from BPP.

KPMG has a wealth of extra-curricular activities to get involved in! There are groups and societies that you can join to mingle with like-minded people (E.G. the KPMG Christian society, Afro-Caribbean society, etc). Everyone is welcome and included to attend any meetings these groups have. KPMG offices also have many sports teams that compete with other offices across the country (football, cricket and netball to name a few). Many departments also have socials where they organise events to attend outside of work hours. In the recent months I have seen: bowling, go-karting, pub quizzes, axe throwing, restaurant meals, etc. These are covered by the company and are completely free to attend! There are also events that you can take part in to network with people in the business and develop your professional skills. For example, KPMG run programmes like “learning with leaders” and “leadership breakfasts” where you mix with some of the more senior members of the firm. This ranges from a simple chat over coffee, to shadowing them for a whole year. I can’t keep track of how many emails I get informing me of all the events/socials that are taking place!

Yes

If I had to sum up why I would recommend KPMG to anyone seeking an apprenticeship, I would have to use the word “opportunity”. This apprenticeship gives you the chance to do so many different things. You can study alongside work to get a degree debt-free (and get paid a competitive salary at the same time), you can travel the world, you can move virtually anywhere in the business and experience departments you never even knew existed. The 360 apprenticeship gives you the chance to mould yourself almost any career you’d like in accounting and finance. Whether you’re unsure where you’d like to work within the financial sector, or you’re dead set on a specific role, the 360 apprenticeship gives you every opportunity to experience it all and shape your career path.

I would encourage you to be yourself when you go through the application process. KPMG encourages you to “bring your whole self to work”. They want diverse individuals with different skill sets from all walks of life. The more comfortable you are showing your true self, the more you’ll stand out as an individual. I’d also really encourage you to do your research on all the different departments and roles within the business. It’s not as simple as “Tax” or “Consulting”. Do some digging and find out what interests you. This will massively help when it comes to your interviews and, should you get the job, picking where your first placement will be. It pays off knowing about the company that you’re potentially joining. Finally, be prepared to talk about your experiences and skills a lot throughout the application and interview process, it comes up often!