Apprentice Review

I am on the KPMG 360 programme and have completed placements in Audit, Tax and Consulting. I am now specialising in Tax and a typical day involves supporting on Tax Compliance and Advisory projects, contacting clients / HMRC, completing risk process, and keeping track of key developments on different clients and projects.

I have gained many invaluable skills. My communication skills have improved by interacting with different members of the team, on different projects. I have also improved in time management as some deadlines are very tight to complete certain tasks, and I have learned how to manage my time better. I feel that during my placement in tax I have come across many different systems/software and programmes which I use on a day to day basis when completing tasks so this have improved my technical skills by using these regularly.

I have very much enjoyed my placements within audit, tax and consulting. The rotational programme has lots to offer in terms of the rotational aspect as well as lots of training, development and volunteering opportunities available. I have found that members from all of my teams across KPMG have been very welcoming, and are willing to help.

The programme is well structured. We are given clear dates as to when our placement will start and end, and when our college dates are in advance. I have completed my AAT exams and will now be moving onto the ATT-CTA, there is lots of support available from our training provider and employer and key dates are communicated in advance.

Within every placement that we rotate in to, we are given a 'buddy' and 'performance manager' assigned to us who we can have regular catch ups with to discuss any concerns. We can also raise any concerns relating to exams or our apprenticeship to the apprenticeship team, there is a lot of support always available from our employer.

For our tuition/exams we are provided the materials for our syllabus, practice questions and online portal around 2 weeks in advance which are very helpful in preparing us for exams. We also have live and pre recorded online classes (either online or in person) every few months and are given a few weeks to prepare for exams. There is also an online forum available for any exam specific questions, so there is always lots of support for our AAT/ATT qualification.

The AAT qualification was very useful to get a broad understanding of different areas of accounting whilst completing different placements. For example the content covered in different exams has helped me to understand financial statements better and think about what the financial statements mean. I have also come across certain accounting terminology in my exams that are used in day to day work which links exams and the work completed in my role. As I progress onto the ATT-CTA I feel the qualification will be more tailored to the tax department helping me to build on my technical knowledge and helps you to perform better in my role?

There are many virtual events you can get involved in within your department as well as with other apprentices. The department I am in currently have held monthly virtual social events, as well as coffee catch ups, charity events and knowledge share on different topics - there is something for everyone.

Yes

I would recommend KPMG. If you are interested in accounting and are/or a looking for an alternative to university then this is a good programme. It provides lots of work experience, improves your technical skills learning on the job. Also you are directly involved and included in different projects and work which is a very valuable experience.

Think of how you align with KPMG’s values, and link this to real life examples where you have demonstrated these. Also research the different departments to understand which teams or business areas might be of interest to you. Work hard in your role but also focus on doing well in exams.