Audit Intern/Trainee Review

Dealing with clients and being a part of an audit team to make sure the financial statements gets signed. This involves testing, with deadlines on completing different tasks, communicating with the client about what is needed from them and timescales in which things will be completed.

I have improved on my use of excel, learning different formulas and shortcuts. I have also improved on communicating in a professional manner towards colleagues and clients.

I enjoyed the team and the work involved. I also enjoyed coaching others in areas I had more experience in. However, the hours can get long on the weeks running up to signing, especially in the London offices, so the work life balance during placement can get harder.

The structure of the programme is very clear. There is a clear split between work and study, with the relevant university handling the academics and the company dealing with the placement. Within the company there is very clear career progression.

Each student in the course gets a career coach and a buddy assigned to them, so there is an obvious support network for whenever there are questions.

The company pays for the college courses and exams taken. For those on the grad schemes, there is dedicated study leave for extended periods so students can focus on their exams and classes

The degree directly corresponds to the ICAEW qualification, so you are close to become chartered when you graduate. The placements give you a true view on what the job is as a junior, so you are given relevant experience for you to be promoted once you graduate.

The teams organise social events for some evenings, such as escape rooms, pub trips and watching sports. The company also has sports teams and there is one firm one day for volunteering

Yes

It provides a solid foundation to your CV, and provides a great network of those who are also in the accountancy field. This programme fast tracks your career in audit and you become chartered at a younger age, giving you more time to experience the wider field

Keep an open mind for the interviews, do not be afraid to think out loud, they are looking for your thought processes just as much if not more than the correct answer. Reference previous real life working experiences in any field, and the interpersonal and working skills you have learnt from them