Senior Review
at Forvis Mazars
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Audit
Birmingham
Review Submitted: February 2025
Overall Rating
3.3 /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
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Overview of Role
3/5
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Skills Development
2.8/5
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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:
3/5
I am an audit senior, meaning that my time is spent working on statutory audits. At my current grade, my level of responsibility will vary depending on the engagement, with some audits requiring me to take a more supervisory role, directing the work of juniors on a day-to-day level, while on others I will just be performing my own work on certain sections under somebody else's direction.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
3/5
It's quite enjoyable, allowing me to work with a variety of businesses and letting me do different things on each audit. It rarely feels like I'm doing the same thing every week, which is good and keeps things fresh
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
3/5
Yes I have, many in fact. I have gained valuable skills in communication, as working on audits requires coaching junior members of staff, asking management for guidance, and requesting information from clients
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
2/5
The programme is quite well-structured in terms of when we get time off from work for our exam studies. What is less well structured is the time we're given to complete admin tasks for the purposes of our apprenticeship, e.g. completing skills and behaviors tasks, having calls with BPP. Guidance is often vague and requires jumping through unnecessary hoops
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
I believe my employer gives a reasonable amount of support, granting enough time off for studies (both from BPP and self-directed). I've rarely felt pressured about exams outside of the last few weeks before them
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
2/5
Support for exams is generally very good. Support for other aspects of the apprenticeship is often poor to be quite honest, with vague guidance for areas such as skills and behaviours etc., which seem insubstantial and barely connected to the important areas of the apprenticeship. The requirements for these are poorly communicated
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
2/5
The qualification obviously helps a certain degree, given the amount of exam material we study which is directly applicable in my job. On the other hand, I can't think I've exactly picked up many skills that I've used in my role
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 regular social events organised by my place at work, which I enjoy. Sports events are offered I believe, though I personally don't partake in these. The social environment at my place of work is very rich, and I very much appreciate it
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Forvis Mazars to a friend?
Yes
Why?
I think it's a good place to work, that offers a good qualification and valuable working experience. (I'd also get a reward for referring somebody else)
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Forvis Mazars?
Read up on what the ICAEW ACA qualification requires of you. This is an area I didn't feel hugely aware of before I applied, and this foreknowledge could have been useful
