360 Apprentice Review

My usual day consists of completing tasks allocated to me by my in-charge. This can include numerous tasks with a main one being sample testing. This would consist of looking through the client's financial statements and agreeing back their figures to supporting documents to gain comfort over their figures. I'm in a fairly large team with around 30 people with a good mix of people.

I have learnt many new skills as well as further develop existing skills. Since starting my apprenticeship, I have greatly improved on my IT skills such as using Excel, PowerPoint as well as learning new systems for my day-to-day jobs. I also have built massively on my communication skills especially when speaking with clients.

My apprenticeship allows me to learn new skills from all different areas of the company. With the apprenticeship being a rotational programme, I'm able to move around the firm and explore different areas of the business which will eventually allow me to specialise in a chosen area. This avoids making big decisions early on without completely understanding what you are applying for.

I believe the programme is very well structured. Each rotation, I have been instantly accepted and have been provided with work. Contact numbers were provided for the resourcing department which if any queries we had, we could speak to them directly. This was great, especially with the first few months at the firm.

I believe I receive a great amount of support from my employer. Regular meetings are held with the performance managers which allow me to discuss any issues or queries I may have. We are also assigned a buddy when entering a new department which we can go to. This is a great way of receiving support.

BPP have been great. So far, all tutors have been very helpful with any questions students may have. Regular phone calls are also completed to discuss the progress, as well as setting goals in regards to qualifications. BPP tutors have also recorded online sessions and sent these out for students to watch again.

I believe with the AAT level 3 and 4 qualification, this is a great foundation to start and assist my career at the firm. With an overall insight into financial statements, indirect tax as well as costing, this has greatly assisted in being able to complete day-to-day roles in my job.

There are a huge amount of opportunities to join extra-curricular activities which are also emailed to us. There are also opportunities to start your own extra-curricular activity which can bring new passions to the firm. There are also a lot of monthly socials which occur within different departments which is a great way for networking.

Yes

KPMG is a fantastic way to build up a career with the sky being the limit. KPMG offers endless opportunities as well as a company that you can focus on building in certain areas. The amount of new skills and new friends I have made, I would hugely recommend to a friend.

I would strongly advise others to understand what they want to gain from the company in the long term as well as have an idea into what areas they want to rotate in. I would also recommend to be able to answer the question in why KPMG over the other big four.