Audit Apprentice Review

Item: Audit Apprentice at KPMG
Rating: 3.6
Author: Anonymous

at KPMG

Degree Apprenticeship

Accounting

Canary Wharf

Review Submitted: April 2021

Overall Rating

3.6 /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!

3/5 - Overview of Role

4/5 - Skills Development

3.6/5 - Structure and Support

Overview of Role

Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:

3/5

You join an engagement with a team and are allocated tasks to do with a deadline. This includes cash reconciliations, D&I, ToE testing etc. Once you are done there is a catchup meeting where each member gives an update on what they have done and what is left to do.

To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

3/5

I have enjoyed meeting new people in different engagements, as I am still working remotely I have yet to experience life at the office which I am looking forward to. It does get difficult working alone as it's harder to get direct help from someone and the work life balance is even more blurred which is something to watch out for.

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

4/5

I have developed my communication skills. As this occupation relies heavily on team work, there is always a chain of command so someone to report or ask help from. This has helped me feel more comfortable talking to new people. I have also increased my knowledge in accounting by having college days with BPP and have started receiving my level 3 qualifications.

Structure and Support

How well organised/structured is your programme?

3/5

There is a good clear line to the team hierarchy so you will always know who to go to if help is needed. You are assigned to your own personal manager who deals with all your personal and professional issues. The induction week was resourceful and the college studying days. However you are expected to pick up knowledge very quickly and use your own free time to revise. I would hope for more time dedicated to studying and training for the cohort.

How much support do you receive from your employer?

4/5

There is always a wide range of people you can reach out which I would say is really beneficial. Everyone is really understanding of the fact that you are new and have started remotely so theyre very supportive. You also have your own buddy who is not management but someone who is relatively new too but have a few years experience so you feel more comfortable and share an informal relationship.

How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?

4/5

BPP has a hub where there are achievement step ladders which tests you on each chapter which I found very useful. Their studying materials are really good and can even be self taught, thats how clear it is. The online lessons are recorded so you can always go back and if you are stuck you can always email your tutor who will get back to you. Just a shame the lessons are very short and dont always have time to go through everything so theres alot of home study.

How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?

3/5

I personally havent put into practice anything ive learnt through my training provider yet. This may be because Im still on level 3 and the tasks i do in my apprenticeship are still beginner level so this may come about sometime later. I definitely know more about my role now as I wasnt too sure of the daily task of an auditor, it is quite repetitive as you have to perform the same testing for each client.

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

There are many extra-curricular activities and socials you can take part in but they are all virtual. People all over KPMG participate so there are alot of networking opportunities. They send out meeting invites and you can check your calendar if you are free and then join. Definitely recommended if you feel like you are stressed from work as this could help relief it.

Recommendations & Advice

Would you recommend KPMG to a friend?

Yes

Why?

KPMG is known for being a part of the Big 4 so it would look really good on your CV. The biggest benefit is having support on getting your qualifications and saving so much money from uni fees and exam fees. You have so many promotion opportunities to grow to.

What tips or advice would you give to others applying to KPMG?

You should be aware that there is a very poor work life balance working in such a big company. Having big client means you could be overworked and feel stressed with the overload. You could also be expected to finish very late past 9pm during busy season. This is quite tough on first year apprentices as this is not something you'd expect but its the harsh reality. Definitely keep this into consideration and research more about working in these types of companies by reading peoples experiences. But besides that its a very new experience into the adult life, quite interesting.

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