Trainee Review

I have gained so much more responsibility since I have started which has made me more confident. For example, I can speak to clients and write professional emails/documents. I have been working towards the ACA and have passed 3 exams so far. The study scheme is great because it means I spend a little bit of time at college for some of the exams, or get paid study leave to learn the self-taught exams. I love the variety the work can be on a daily basis and I really enjoy this.

I have gained so much more responsibility since I have started which has made me more confident. For example, I can speak to clients and write professional emails/documents. I have been working towards the ACA and have passed 3 exams so far. The study scheme is great because it means I spend a little bit of time at college for some of the exams, or get paid study leave to learn the self-taught exams.

The programme is great for starting on the career ladder. It entirely depends on the role you wish to join, and luckily I find what I do quite interesting. The company culture is also great because we often has lovely work events, especially the Christmas party. Although BDO are very work orientated, all teams have their share of fun. The people I worked with where also really friendly and welcoming towards me as well and this further ensured I enjoyed my time within BDO

The company ensures that you are happy in what you do. Each new employee is given a counselling manager, who we can speak to with any concerns. This means that if I need time off, I can ask someone within my team and they always look out for what is best for you. There are a number of team meetings too, which again makes you feel part of the team, and despite being the youngest in the team, my opinion still counts. There's probably some slight way a system could be in place for more support however there's currently no issues.

The programme is very well structed, as I will always be working or studying for exams. I have meetings with my counselling manager every two months just to check that I am progressing and am happy at work. If anything is not to my initial plan and a problem occurs (such as my manager being busy when we are supposed to have a meeting) there's always a answer put in place so a meeting would be re-arranged for example for a time more suitable. Overall my programme has been well structures and planned out for me.

The training providers are always very helpful with the apprenticeship part. We are required to complete work books for the Level 4 diploma, and I can always contact my work based assessor via phone or email. We occasionally meet up with the assessers and we go through my progress and what I could do to improve my work etc. This meeting is very similar to the one I have with my manager every 2 months. I am overall happy with the support my trainer provider offers me.

The managers I have worked for have been great, they are approachable, friendly & always willing to help/explain things if and when needed. Whilst I have not had to much involvement with the HR team, whenever I have they have been helpful & friendly. On joining BDO every trainee is assigned a 'buddy' who has been through exactly what we are going through & can therefore offer support & advice. Support is easily available and can be relied on as much or as little as one wants.

The starting salary enables me to meet all costs that I incur, whilst this is the case, it is reassuring to know that my salary will increase over time, as my grade lowers & experience increases. I like the thought that the better I do at BDO then the more my salary will increase too. This is a really good thing I think the company are doing as it keeps myself and other young people motivated to complete the work and not give up on the scheme. I am really happy with my current pay and I try balance my finances as best as I can too.

Outside of work I have a lot of contacts within the ICAEW, whereby I pioneer a blogging website, partake in careers events and publishing dialogues in national magazines and websites. I also partake in a lot of careers events for BDO itself as I enjoy the opportunity to tell others a year or two below me on the other options available to them rather than going to University. BDO is also a very socialable company; we run a football team where we play games each week, as well as many other sporting teams which incorporate a large number of colleagues across all departments within the firm. As well as this, BDO promote a lot of charity work whereby you are given X number of days of for during the year. This is a great opportunity to give something back to the community and raise money for charities and trusts.

Yes

I think that BDO is a great firm to work for and would recommend them to anyone considering a role in accountancy. The team you meet and work with at BDO are all really friendly and the managers and supervisors will ensure the work your doing is varied and to your liking as well and also worthwhile doing for the company. You can also expand existing skills here and learn a lot of new ones during the experience. The skills you gain can also be used in everyday like and at many other jobs too which is really good.

Interviews & Assessment Days. Prepare, research online typical interview quesitons & write up/bullet point areas that you think you should talk about. Be yourself; Talk to people. First-hand experience is fantastic, but when you don’t have that, talking to others who have done what you are considering can be just as helpful. Research your options; Look into any university courses and school leaver programmes that you are interested in. Find out what you would be doing; think about whether you would be suited to it and the time you would need to invest in it. Think about and decide what you want to do. There are some careers that need specific degrees in order for someone to practice in a particular profession. However, there are careers that don’t require degrees and you need to consider what a degree would help you do; will it add value to your CV; will it help you get a job; is it worth the debt? Attend Insight Days and University Open Days. It’s always worth attending university open days to get an idea of the campus, the course, etc.