360 Apprentice Review

I am currently placed within audit but over the course of the 360 Apprenticeship, I will have the chance to rotate in multiple business departments over the first three years whilst sitting my AAT Level 3 and 4 qualification in Advanced Bookkeeping and Tax before deciding on where I would like to specialise on my final 3 years of the apprenticeship, after this I am guaranteed a job with KPMG. I have worked directly with clients at client site, over the phone and also just completed client work in the office and the exposure to different skills and all of the support is amazing, the culture within the firm is unmatched!

Client communication, presentation skill (and overcoming fear of public speaking all within 6 months!), increased confidence in analysis of data and documentation of financial audit related work papers, adaptability and working under pressure and to deadlines

I think the programme is a win-win situation for any individual looking to enter the financial industry with no prior experience who is willing to commit to study and have industry exposure, I personally think its advantageous over a graduate, as all studies are paid for plus your salary AND you are having the exposure in the industry which graduates don't get whilst at university. I didn't have a set idea on what I wanted to do within finance but as the programme is rotational you get to experience all different parts of professional services such as audit, tax, deals advisory and consultancy as you progress - I entered the firm with a basic understanding of finance but no prior audit experience, but KPMG are invested in your learning from the start and you're not expected to be an expert on anything of course, but the responsibility you get is great PLUS amazing socials we all gather for and a great work-life balance

Communication is usually very good and efficient. We are kept up to date about exams and everyone is aware on the expectations on us in terms of work and exams. I think everyone is aware of the review process and how our individual programmes work, its nice there is the expectation of us but that we are also told what we can expect from the company to further our career growth

We have a large support network and a specific team of apprenticeship management who we catch up with regularly, and despite the London office being quite big, we are all still very well connected. KPMG have a great culture of coaching and investing in career development and even colleagues you work with in large and small teams regardless of grade or client, are always there to support you.

There is a good level of support from BPP University, we have regular progress calls with BPP coaches to discuss any concerns or questions. Tutors are always available to email for support with content of the qualifications. We also have a PQA team that work within KPMG to assist us with the company side of the pathways. Just as a suggestion for improvement, BPP could have more accessible resources for study such as a mobile app.

I feel that I have been able to apply the accounting knowledge I have learned through my qualification to scenarios across the firm, my current role is as an IRM specialist supporting the audit so the underlying audit concepts and ethical principles can still be applied to help me complete my work in line with regulation and audit standards. I feel I have a much better understanding of the objectives of audit and what the key principles are as a junior auditor, as upon joining the firm post 6th form I had no idea on what audit really was. As of yet I haven't put everything I have learned into practice but the main concepts I have been able to apply.

There are a lot of networking events arranged within the firm for apprentices specifically and networking with a learning element that counts towards our Off The Job Learning requirements. There are also team socials frequently that all apprentices are encouraged to come to. KPMG also have many networks to get involved in where you can meet people across the firm with similar interests, from similar cultural and religious backgrounds etc. We also have 6 CSR days to utilise a year and Apprentices get a great opportunity to d a back to school visit and talk to their 6th form or college about their experiences so far. I have also attended volunteering days to support primary school children with literacy and numeracy skill development and attended a National Careers Fair to spread awareness of KPMG schemes.

Yes

The culture of the firm is amazing. Everyone I have met across the firm has been so supportive and encouraging of personal AND career growth. There are multiple opportunities to develop and network with other apprentices and those across the firm, and most of all you are treated as a respected professional. Juniors are delegated tasks that challenge us, as I think a misconception about apprentices is that the only tasks we are given are admin related. This is simply not true and the exposure to different tasks and clience is brilliant. Plus, the rotational style of the 360 course is like no other scheme and is great for young people who have an interest in the financial industry/pursuing a career in finance but are unsure how to enter industry as soon as possible without the university route. As we have such a broad range of exposure to different departments we get to make the decision where we specialise. It is such a motivating environment to be in and has allowed me to learn so much in a very short space of time and gain so much confidence, I couldn't recommend it highly enough!

I would advise that you do your research on the firm. Until I saw the position as an apprentice advertised I had never heard of KPMG as a lot of young people wouldn't have, but I made sure to do some background research on the firm and especially taking the time to learn and internalise KPMG Values, as KPMG recruits dedicated professionals based on this. I would also say when gong through the recruitment process from the online questions, to your assessment centre day just be yourself and keep an open mind. Nobody expects you to know EVERYTHING about the financial world and the firm, but the recruitment team definitely like to see that you are proactive, dedicated and are eager to learn - as this attitude is key to take you far within the business! Plus always remember, all apprentices are in the same boat, we have all most likely come from college or 6th form and nobody is expecting you to have any industry experience.