Senior Auditor Review

I provide audit services for PIE and non-PIE clients in the hospitality and retail industry. This includes client office visitation and querying with client on audit work. Additionally, I study for ACA exams and skills and behaviours outside of working hours.

Various skills and behaviours through client work and communication skills with team and client as I am required to manager juniors on my team as well as lead audits for specific entities within groups. This requires analytical skills in solving problems such as obtaining and processing audit evidence as well as challenging the client as to any variances found during the engagement.

Inititally it has ben a challenging onboarding experience due to working from home however as this has changed in that we are visiting client site more often and going into the office, learning about audit procedures and general business acumen has been a more enjoyable experience as it has been in person and thus more interactive.

Although there is a good structure to the program, there are frequent clashes between the off the job training and exams, and client work as it is often the case that mandatory training clashes with client bookings. This has lead to severely delayed training and in some cases resorting to online e-learning.

My experience with the employer has been relatively positive in the sense that they respond to email queries and hold semi-regular webinars on the apprenticeship. However there are some contradicting experiences in that they do not allow certain extenuating circumstances for some employees but then allow it for others (such as allowing the change of certain exam bookings).

Help from BPP varies greatly in that they have semi regular catchups on our apprenticeship, however I have had an experience where I have booked a catchup call with BPP and when joining the call, no one joined and thus was rescheduled to another date without reason.

For myself specifically, I don't believe that it is very useful as the skills and behaviours apprenticeship was advertised as a masters equivalent qualification (and was forced), however I already have a masters degree from university. Additionally I am an older graduate such that I think I have the sufficient communication skills for my level of employment.

Mazars provide great extra curricular activities such as badminton, climbing, chess etc which I have taken part of in the past. However note that this is my experience in the London office.

Yes

Friendly culture and work environment, the clients are interesting and allow professional development, and great extra curricular activities.

Proactive in working in person with team members as this is how you learn more about the clients you can join as a junior.