360 Apprentice Review

I am often helping my team with completing work papers for an audit which will consist of me using excel to create formulas and explaining my workings. I am often talking to clients to ask them to explain their accounts so that my team has a greater understanding of the companies accounts when performing the audit. When away at client site I am talking to my teams often and asking questions which they are happy to answer.

I have managed to greatly improve my confidence when needing to talk to clients as well as my knowledge. This has been from not only exams but also when working on work papers for my team as I have had to understand these papers before it is possible for me to complete them.

I greatly enjoy the work that I am given and the amount of responsibilities that I have when working in my teams. Everyone that I have spoken to in my teams have always been happy to help and although there is a lot that is expected of you in this apprenticeship I think that it has helped me improve much quicker.

Sometimes there have been a few communication issues where I have been booked to clients when I actually had to be doing exams but this was easy to sort. I believe that the structure isn't amazing as I am only completing 3 exams of AAT Level 3 which I believe will cause me to be at a greater disadvantage with AAT Level 4. Although it is a rotational apprenticeship where I am meant to be able to go into different departments of the company but this is not really a reality at Bristol as there aren't many departments in that office and is difficult to do anything other than audit.

There are often emails from lots of different people that are supporting either the department you are apart of or the apprenticeship teams these are very frequent but these are quite general. I have not had much one on one contact with any of the managers that are supposed to support me.

From my training provider I once every three months roughly I will have a meeting with my training provider so that they can understand how I am doing and how I am finding the exams and I am able to ask any questions that I have about my exams. Our lecturers are also always very willing to help if we are not understanding something about the course that they have just taught us.

I think that the qualifications I am gaining from my training provider has meant that I understand the work that I am doing much better. Although I think it would have been better to do more qualifications at the start closer together as well as all exams for AAT Level 3 because it would make the apprenticeship length a lot shorter.

Yes, there is an audit social once a month which is always something different as well as there are some sports teams during the summer for people if they are wanting to attend them. There are also lots of networking events for us to attend in the office as well as talks with partners and external people that are held for example international women's day.

Yes

I believe that the work is really interesting and as I have been given so many responsibilities, it has meant that I am a much more confident person. All the teams that I have worked with at client sites have all been very kind and are always willing to answer any questions that you may have, it is sometimes the people that really make this apprenticeship so enjoyable.

Ensure that you enjoy excel as that is what this apprenticeship consists of whatever department that you are in, it is also important that you are prepared to commute as there is a lot of travelling that is needed of you which I wish I was more prepared for when I started this apprenticeship.