Audit Apprentice Review

I am working in Audit within national markets. This placement has allowed me to work with plenty of businesses within a variety of industries - for example Oil and Gas industry, Food industry and Housing industry. I have had the opportunity to help on various sections of an audit since starting in late 2019, the majority of my work being in the testing sections. Day-to-day I complete tasks around the testing of a companies procedure for recording their finances and how they evaluate profits/expenses/income. I tend to work on excel and I set up worksheets which are used throughout the audit to reference other work to. I also mark up documents received by the clients in order to reference it to our audit work. If I am not booked consistently to a specific audit I tend to find myself working with various people in the department to help with the workload.

I would say I have developed a range of skills during the short time I have worked with KPMG. I have improved on my communication skills, as I am working in a professional environment I have developed an understanding of how to professionally communicate. I am now confident in sending emails to a client and also to others in KPMG by maintaining professionalism in my wording throughout emails. I also feel comfortable having work related conversations with both clients and managers in audit. I have also developed technical skills by using excel and audit files. I feel a lot more comfortable using excel and I am developing an understanding of the software every day. Finally I have improved on my time management. I have found that some work needs to be done quickly and must e completed by a deadline, although this has been hard at the time I feel like I managed my time wisely to make sure that the work is completed on time.

I really enjoy my programme. I enjoy the aspect of studying and work - however these tie together rather than completely differ. My programme has allowed me to develop a lot of technical knowledge and also social skills. I have always been attracted to the 9-5 life however I wanted to gain qualifications and be professional in a topic I have a lot of interest in, which I can do with this programme. I couldn't recommend an apprenticeship more.

I would say that the KPMG Audit programme is organised a lot better than the KPMG 360 programme. I haven't had any problems or confusion with what I am expected to do for my apprenticeship and my qualifications. I also tend to have a lot of communication from both my Performance Manager in my department and the Audit Apprentice management team to make sure that I am doing well and also to keep track of what I am doing.

I do receive a lot of support in my department both relating to work and study. I am given the required amount of study time and resourcing always manage to work around the time I need off for exams. My manager also supports me when I do need to study by making sure I balance my study time with my working hours. Around the time of exams we receive emails from the apprentice management team and our people leaders and it is very supporting and encouraging. It is a great environment to work and study in.

BPP are very helpful when it comes to exam time. I find the classroom learning a bit more helpful than the live tuition however whenever questions are asked the tutor can always help. They are very open to sending emails to them with questions which we may have come across while revising or going over work before the exam and they reply very quickly with great explanations. They provide the best learning materials and also give plenty of revision materials to help prepare for the exams.

The exams and learning that we do towards our qualification helps a lot with the basic accounting skills that I need for my role. It has helped me a lot to understand what is actually used in my role and why it is used. I am also very confident in reading financial statements and understanding the making of these. The qualifications have gave me confidence in understanding what I do in my role.

KPMG offer a variety of social events and professional networking events. Due to current circumstances there is a hold on a lot of events however this doesn't stop the company from making everyone feel involved. The department I am in have a catch-up session every Friday, where anyone can talk about anything. We are also doing a fundraising event during April, between Glasgow and Edinburgh which is involving so many people and ensuring they stay active during this pandemic. I am proud to help out with all fundraising events. Every year each office also has a KPMG snow ball. This is an office party which includes a lovely meal and fun events during the night. A lot of departments try to have social events every month, these range from Pub Golf to Dinner parties and are enjoyed by many people. It is a very social environment and they keep everyone involved in events and charity work.

Yes

It is a great working environment and the company is full of opportunities. The other employees are great at pushing everyone to develop and also make everyone new feel included and comfortable. The apprenticeship aspect is great as you have the opportunity to gain qualifications and work with an amazing company.

In the application always ensure that you show your confidence and be yourself. If you demonstrate an enthusiastic attitude about the company and the programme, KPMG would be more than happy to progress your application. Just like applying to university you need to show that the programme is for you and that you have the motivation and the interest to become successful with the qualifications that you will complete. Apprenticeships are very modern and are the new way to progress into your career, and not only do they offer great qualifications and work opportunities, but the social environment is amazing which many people don't realise. Always mention your interests as well as what the company want to hear, KPMG do care about your social interests as well as your career prospects.