KPMG 360 Apperentice Review

As a KPMG 360 apprentice, I will rotate around different parts of the business, including tax, deal advisory and audit. So far I have had 2 rotations in audit. This involves checking the processes of a company and making sure the Financial Statements are complete and accurate. We also get to check the processes of businesses and it is very interesting to see how different businesses operate. There are so many different things to do in audit, and no two days are the same. We alternate between working in our placements and studying at college. KPMG pay us a very competitive salary and also pay for our qualifications. We get paid to study and get paid study leave.

Even though I have only been on this apprenticeship for 6 months, my confidence has improved massively. I am now very confident when talking to clients on the phone and in person, and meeting new people. These were both things that scared me before starting this apprenticeship. I have also developed high level skills when using different software and know lots of ways to speed up my work through shortcuts that I have learnt on training and others on my team.

I think the fact that 360 apprentices have a cohort (which is like a year group) means that it is really fun, as we always see each other around the office, and we socialise a lot after work. The apprenticeship team are very supportive, and it is a very friendly place to work. The work I do is interesting, as I can tell that it is important, and what I do matters.

The programme is very well structured in the sense that we get to rotate, however it would be better if there were more positions outside of audit. As apprentices we have to have 20% off the job learning by law. KPMG set out the programme so we have blocks of time at college and then study leave before each exam. This is well thought out so that we have enough time to revise before each exam, but not too much that we forget the content.

At KPMG there is a team dedicated to supporting the apprentices. If we have any problems there are lots of people we can contact including personally allocated buddys, personal performance managers, the apprentice team or other apprentices. I feel extremely supported, and there is always someone to talk to. There are also lots of help lines that we can call anonymously which we were told about when we first joined.

BPP is the training provider for KPMG 360s (it is a Private University). They are very supportive, and we have regular catch up calls to monitor our progress. If we fail an exam first time, we receive additional support to ensure we pass second time. There are lots of revision resources provided online.

Everything we learn is relevant to what we do day to day, which is useful when performing tasks, and makes it exciting to learn the content as you know you'll use it. You also know that what you're learning will help in the future, which you wouldn't get if you did a degree.

There are many societies which you can join at KPMG, including sports teams such as rugby and netball. There is a gym in the Canary Wharf office, and there are lots of social events where free food and alcohol are provided, and each team gets a budget for social events.

Yes

It is a very friendly environment to work in, and there are lots of benefits, such as paid study leave, a laptop and phone for work, a lunch allowance and a day off on your birthday as well as a very competitive salary. Everyone that I have met at KPMG has been very friendly and KPMG provides so many opportunities to move around to different parts of the business which means that you can build the career that you want for yourself.

Do your research and make sure you practice for the interview and online assessments and apply as soon as possible to make sure you're at the top of the list. You have to apply on the website so keep checking from the start of the school year. KPMG also have a smart network which is an email subscription. This will notify you when the applications for the apprenticeship will open and you can join this via the website.