Associate tax advisor Review

For my role, I am involved in business development (researching), preparing tax computations for clients, and building relationships with clients during meetings as well as taking notes. This involves using accounting software and excel on a day to day basis as well as good communication skills in order to make meetings effective.

I have developed my researching skills as my role involves reading through tax legislation and manuals in order to find the relevant information for specific scenarios. I have also become much more proficient at excel as I use it on a day to day basis. Being able to talk to clients has also boosted my confidence.

I enjoy the technical and advisory side of my programme which allows me to develop my knowledge that I gained from college and applying it in real life situations. However, in the first year that I joined I was involved in more administrative tasks which I found to be less enjoyable.

The training and college courses are well structured with materials given in advance of college, which keeps in regular contact with us. However, some aspects of the apprenticeship itself have been unclear at times with support teams having delayed responses or there being a lack of communication from senior staff.

In the first year of joining, there was not much support provided by the employer. However, this has since changed as dedicated teams have been created to help apprentices and answer any queries. Wellbeing and mental health is an important topic for the employer and is taken seriously, despite it still being quite difficult to open up.

I receive a lot of support from my training provider as the tutors regularly keep in contact with the students and make sure to provide materials in advance of the course starting. During Covid virtual courses were held but since then have moved to in person again which means courses can be more interactive.

Some courses are not directly relevant to my role, for example I sit in tax and some of the audit courses are not applicable (though it is still good to have an awareness). Regardless, college helps me build a foundation of knowledge of which real life scenarios help build upon.

There are very few extra curricular activities (mainly due to covid 19) and flexible working being implemented. Social activities (such as going to bars or having dinner with colleagues after work) are sparsely held (approximately every 2 to 3 months) although this is subject to change after the office move

Yes

It is a valuable programme and provides many opportunities further in the career. However, the work culture (particularly work-life balance) is not as favourable as there is an expectation to study in your own time without study leave, as well as busy periods requiring overtime. Despite this, there are many networking opportunities and the experience gained is valuable.

Working at EY requires a lot of determination and perserverance as it is difficult to balance both work and study, so make sure you know what you're in for before you apply. While applying, make sure to take every opportunity to ask questions to gain a better understanding of your potential role.