Audit Associate Review

On the audit-only (KAAP) apprenticeship you join an audit department (e.g. financial services, national markets etc) and then begin work on an audit team right away. Your team may change as you move from client to client. This will include client meetings, audit testing (sampling transactions and agreeing them to external evidence), and some administration/documentation work. You will report to an "in-charge" on your area of the audit who is usually an assistant manager.

I have learnt a great deal about the audit process, as well as industry specific technical knowledge. The professional qualification (AAT level 3 and 4) covers multiple areas of accounting. There is internal training given on audit and required knowledge for individual departments. There is also internal training given on topics such as inclusivity, legal requirements etc.

The day to day work with my team is highly enjoyable and fulfilling. They made me feel welcome from the outset. The company atmosphere is great, although potentially lacking in visible female leaders. My team has been hugely supportive of my career development. It can be hard to juggle work and commitments to the apprenticeship however as some teams are much more heavy going than others.

There is an internal department responsible for overseeing the professional qualifications of apprentices and graduates and there is a clear progression structure. It can sometimes take a long time to receive a response from the qualifications team. The KPMG 360 apprenticeship seems to have more structured additional education than KAAP.

There is excellent support from HR and even counsellors if you ask for it. Whilst you do need to reach out to these people yourself, there are lots of reminders that these services are available. The KPMG 360 programme receives considerably more support and "contact time" with management than KAAP, although this may be because KAAP is in it's first year. This could definitely be improved upon. KAAP apprentices seem to be left to find their own way more and receive fewer catch up calls.

KPMG arranges for college time (either in person or in an online classroom) to learn the content for the AAT exams. 7 hours additional study leave is given per exam, as well as 7 hours study leave to complete written assignments/coursework. If certain conditions are met, then 1 supported resit is available for each exam. If the exam is failed twice however, your contract with KPMG is terminated.

Whilst the audit role requires specialist audit knowledge and technical knowledge of that sector, the level 3 AAT content provides an excellent foundation which does support the further specialist learning in the workplace as the basic concepts are in place. Once we progress to level 4, the topics will drill down deeper into accounting, including audit, and this will probably mean that it feels more relevant to our role.

There are multiple societies, for example women at KPMG and the LGBTQ+ network, as well as sports societies. There are socials for the apprentices as well as department socials. Teams often organise their own socials each month, as well as sign-off celebrations following the completion of larger projects. These tend to take the form of activities (e.g. go-karting, bowling, mini golf) or meals out, so people who don't drink will not be left out.

Yes

The experience gained from working in a big four firm is unparalleled, and KPMG has a welcoming and supportive atmosphere. The opportunities for ongoing career development are great. The offices are in convenient locations. It's a brand you can be proud to work for and there are some great social responsibility causes to get behind.

Be yourself, be confident and be honest. DO research the role before applying, especially if applying to audit-only. DO look at the company website and read some of our whitepapers on current topics. There are also some really useful materials provided to help you understand the hiring criteria. Make good use of these, they are helpful throughout the process. If you reach the interview/assessment centre stage, keep these in mind as examples you give in the interview should link back to these skills and behaviours. On the day of the assessment centre, READ THE NEWSPAPER. It's really important to be aware of current affairs and have an opinion on them. The people interviewing are lovely so try not to feel too nervous - they're on your side and want you to do well. If they prompt you or try and get you to elaborate on something, do! They're trying to help you articulate something that they believe will show that you're KPMG material.