Audit Apprentice Review

There is a range of work I do. Sometimes I take part in stock counts which is essentially travelling to businesses to ensure that their reported stock listing is true but recounting a sample of items. Sometimes I oversee file reviews. However, I spend most days working from the office helping complete an audit. As I am still fairly new and don't have much knowledge and experience, the task I am given are relatively basic and mainly involve just copying over data.

Before starting here, I barely know how to use excel. With help from online training provided by KPMG and my colleagues, I now have a better understanding of Excel and can use it fairly confidently. I had no previous knowledge of auditing or accounting before I started my apprenticeship, although I understand more now, improvement in my knowledge is slow. I often find myself slightly overwhelmed with the work as I still don't fully understand the work.

I take pride in saying I work for KPMG. With such a big company there are a lot of resources that you may not find in other, smaller companies. For example, the opportunity to work/ visit other offices (I have been to Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds) and the employee benefits. These benefits include, mental health resources and programmes, some free medical care such as eye tests, free home working equipment when you join such as an office chair, monitor and desk, and so much more. Most people I work with are very kind and helpful especially when I need help with my work. However, I am often overwhelmed and stressed with the work I have to do. Like most other apprentices I've talked to, I often feel as though I have been thrown into the deep end a lot of the time. The tasks I am given are usually things I have no experience in and I'm usually given no guidance. This is getting better as I develop a better basic understanding of audits and gain confidence, but when I first started joining engagements it was very difficult.

There are multiple training and learning activities I complete along side work. There is an audit foundations programme provided internally in KPMG which aims to give you knowledge specifically about audits and accounting. In my opinion this programme didn't provide me with enough knowledge to start being a part of engagements and these programmes don't come often enough. I study for my AAT at BPP, for our first exam with KPMG we did a week and a half of tuition and had our exam a month(ish) after this.

The people I have worked with during my time have been very helpful, kind and considerate. Many understand that as a new apprentice I have little to no knowledge on audits and they guide me through tasks I am given. There are peer session groups we can take part in with other members of our cohort, these sessions allow us to feedback how we feel and what things we are struggling with anonymously. KPMG do seek constant feedback in multiple areas which is great.

When studying at BPP our tutor was available to email at any time leading up to our exam. I found the BPP hub the most helpful thing when revising for my exam. There were online videos talking though each individual toping and then a selection of questions on that topic to complete afterwards.

I haven't really applied much knowledge I learned during my qualification to my work at KPMG. I have used some definitions (such as 'going concern'). However, as I am still in the early days of studying for my qualification and working at KPMG, I think that with time I will start to apply more of my knowlege.

There are lots of social activities with KPMG. The most helpful for me was a new joiner social I went to before I started working in the office, this was a great way to break the ice with the other apprentices and other staff in my office. There were two Christmas parties also which was a great way to develop my relationship with my colleagues. Probably the best socials for me are the E grade socials, these are for apprentices, graduates and new joiners, this helps me improve my friendship with those who are roughly in the same position as me.

Yes

I would only recommend KPMG to a resilient friend. It is hard. It is difficult especially when you have no prior knowledge of audits. It is a big change from sixth form/college. However, once you start to get into the work and become friends with the people you work with, it becomes very fulfilling. All the things you get do here with the socials and employee benefits, it's hard to find elsewhere.

When you start don't be scared to ask for help. Be honest with your knowledge, it's better to get help and do it right than get it wrong and waste time. When applying, try and connect with other people in the same position as you, my cohort did this with a big whatsapp group chat we made during the interview process, this make starting less daunting and you get to gauge how others feel.