360 Apprentice Review

Work varies depending on the business demand. My tasks usually include looking for numerical errors in documents, taking part in internal meetings, working on documents in excel etc. There is also plenty of opportunity for direct interaction with the clients. This includes taking part in meetings and skype calls and going to client site to do stock counts or help out with the audit in general.

Yes. I have, so far, done 2 exams towards AAT level 3 so my knowledge of accounting has improved greatly. Also, my skills in excel, word etc. have also improved due to the work that I have been given. My communication skills, confidence etc. have improved as the office definitely has a very social, laid back atmosphere.

My enjoyment of the programme varies greatly depending on which department I'm placed in, and it is quite difficult to have a say in which department you would like to work in. I do enjoy the laid back environment at the office, and the people who work there are very friendly and helpful. The work itself is good too, I like how much interaction there is with the client.

The programme is not very well structured. It's supposed to be a rotational programme where apprentices rotate between audit, tax and consulting. However, the vast majority of apprentices only have the chance to work in audit. In general, apprentices have very little say in which department they're placed in. The qualifications are well structured, you know the dates of exams / webinars early and you get study leave to prepare.

I have plenty of support. If I have an issue there is always someone to help me out. For the first few weeks of working at KPMG the communication between myself and my allocated managers has been difficult as they work in different offices, however, with time I've been given managers within the department I work in so communicating with them has been a lot easier.

BPP has very good tutors, all of the ones that I've met have a lot of experience working within accounting, so they're very good at explaining everything and giving real life examples. They provide all the learning materials which have been very helpful in preparing for the exams, especially the ones that we do online. These include practice exams and lectures. You can also arrange a call with one of the tutors if you require one to one support, you also have the option to email them, so that's very reassuring.

This again depends on which department you work in. The qualifications have been helpful in understanding the work that you do, but I wouldn't say that they're essential to do the tasks that I've been given so far. However, they are definitely helpful in understanding terminology and general processes.

There are a lot of networks that anyone can get involved in. There are also plenty of social events e.g. drinks once a month in audit, Christmas events and parties when closing the audit. There are also events with other firms which is very good for networking with other apprentices.

Yes

KPMG is definitely a good company to start your career, you have plenty of interaction with the client and KPMG looks great on your CV. Apprentices are generally well supported and we are given work with a lot of responsibility. The qualifications are also good, and BPP is a good provider.

Research KPMG before applying, it's good to know a lot about the company, especially at the interview stage. Also remember to be yourself, when applying for an apprenticeship they really look at what kind of person you are, as they know you most likely wouldn't have had a lot of work experience.