Audit Apprentice Review
at KPMG
Degree Apprenticeship
Accounting
Reading
Review Submitted: April 2022
Overall Rating
3.8 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
4.5/5
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Overview of Role
5/5
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Skills Development
3.2/5
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Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
5/5
As an audit apprentice, my day to day include completing testing over accounts, risk assessments, audit quality programmes and planning procedures to help with the process of the audit. A lot of my day is spent emailing or phoning the client to get further detail for any testing I am doing.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
Work is hard and so is the training. I will find that I have weeks at a time that I am stressed and pushed for time as the client has not provided things on time but this may be due to the implications of working from home. However the rewarding feeling of completing something right is the best.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
Yes I have learnt how to use professional language whilst staying efficient in my communication, learnt many new accounting policies through completing my level 3 bookkeeping apprenticeship and developed my professional skeptisism and knowledge. We complete training courses monthly to improve on our skills and knowledge in the audit and professional services world.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
3/5
I feel that being completely remote whilst working has affected the structure of the programme. It is not easy to do it all by yourself or through a computer. My teams have always helped to coach me and my performance manager has been so helpful but it will be 10x easier when in the office.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
We receive an interim and year end review where we get graded on our performance throughout the 12 or 6 months. We get formal feedback over any engagement we spend over 5 days on which helps us to reflect on our work. Review notes are the short term feedback on our work on the audit file that reflects the quality of the audit.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
1/5
Not very much. As the teaching is online and there have been issues with the BPP hub there has been many issues with things not showing up and late feedback. Our teaching method means that we don't have the ability to quickly ask questions as we have to type them which means they are sometimes misunderstood or omitted.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
The level 3 bookkeeping has helped me understand the double entry and basic level of accounting knowledge to help with my work during audit. I stil have a long way to go but coming straight from 6th form with little to no knowledge, I feel that AAT with the coaching I receive at work is more than sufficient.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
4/5
I know that there is societies to join and usually a lot more group events but covid has prevented these from happening. KPMG has still made a large effort to have christmas meetings with quizes and activities over the phone even if it is not the same. I am sure there are many more planned once restrictions lift.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend KPMG to a friend?
Yes
Why?
KPMG is a lovely place to work, filled with people with tremendous work ethic and a huge community. Even during the current conditions they have made us feel so welcome to the team and helped with so many issues remotely. I am excited for my future at the firm and believe so many other would be too.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to KPMG?
The interview process is quite long and has many stages but don't be discouraged. Do your research into the role so you are confident in understanding and expaining what you would be required to do. Take your time to plan your presentation and put the time in to ensure you are proud of what you present. Good luck!
