Audit Trainee Review
at BDO
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Accounting
Baker St, London W1U 7EU, UK
Review Submitted: May 2021
Overall Rating
3.9 /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
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Overview of Role
3/5
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Skills Development
3.8/5
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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:
4/5
My role is to help and assist the engagement team on audits (ranging from SMEs to large listed). This can range from activities such as testing different Financial Statement areas such as Cash or Fixed assets, to have meetings with teams internally & externally. On top of this I also study either before or after work towards my accounting qualification
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
I thoroughly have enjoyed the programme up to this point. Although, there is a lot of work, and time management is key. The company culture has augmented the experience. The Human Resources team have been great and I work with a range of like minded people within my various teams.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
3/5
I have learnt a great amount in the first 6 months. Having started during the pandemic, my communications skills have come on, as all communication is done remotely, therefore clear & conciseness is key during the role. Additionally, my problem solving has improved through various internal training as well as external training (working towards my qualification).
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
This has been second to none. From the outset and liasing with the induction team, to the training teams in order for me to complete my job effectively. The support offered also when studying for my exams has been brilliant. BDO have the right amount of levels of their hierarchy, which has made it super easy and clear for me to approach the different sets of people depending on the issue I might have.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
Again Brilliant!! I have a buddy who is a year above me during the qualification. Then I have my People Manger, which is like a mentor and my first point of contact if I have any issues, whether that is work on a client, or studying for an exam or evening if I just want to have a coffee & chat. Additionally, I also have my Trainee Group Director, along with my resourcing manager & the professional qualifications team, who all offer support depending on what the issues is.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
3/5
This is a bit hit and miss I think. You receive a lot of blanket emails from the tuition provider. That said the only tuition (when I have been to college - albeit online) I have had has been promising. The tutor was approachable and helped with guidance for problems I encountered.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
3/5
Currently, I have only sat 4 papers, all of which are very generic. That said I do feel I know more about my job/role/industry from completing my qualification. The first exam I took was Accounting and this helped me also put the theory I had learnt into practice.
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 is loads on offer. Although this has been limited due to the pandemic. There have been trainee group social events online such as a night at the races which has been good. That said when the pandemic come to an end and we see more normality. I will be getting involved in loads more such as sports & volunteering.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend BDO to a friend?
Yes
Why?
I would recommend BDO because it is a firm full of people who are professional, who work hard and can play hard, but mainly always want to help and develop others. There is a huge sense of of teamwork being important, and I have witnessed this first hand, as well as offering my help and occasionally working overtime to ensure targets are met on time.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to BDO?
Make sure you do your homework. What is an Auditor & Who is firm etc. Everyone can learn an answer, so please make sure it comes across as authentic. People on the assessment days doing interviews want to see what the real you is? They aren't just making decisions on how well you will be at the job, rather, there is a strong focus on whether you will fit well into the team you're coming into. Practice assessment centres with your housemates/family/friends.
