Associate Review

Working in Audit, the role involves testing of different balances on the financial statements. The procedures for each balance varies on the riskiness of the balance and account. This can involve reperformance and recalculation. Other items we do can be analytical procedures and management inquires which help to gain comfort over the Audit.

The main skill that I have developed is the use of professional skepticism. I know possess a questioning mindset and make sure to not take things at face value. Another skill that complements this is the need to self-review and be diligent in the work, identifying any issues and inconsistencies.

It is a difficult program especially when working and studying at the same time. This is especially true during our busy period. The people however at EY are amazing and generally many young people make up the staff so people are always up for socials and interactions which is always fun.

The program is generally structured a year/six months in advance where we receive our college dates. This helps to plan ahead and see exactly when we are at work and when we are at college or studying. There are support structures in place but I have not had much experience with using them.

There are several avenues of support ranging from your own peer group, to a counsellor and even the engagement team. There is always someone you can speak to about your concerns at EY which is very important to have. I myself have used all these avenues when needed with positive results.

The training provider that is used is Kaplan. Kaplan has so far been a great place to study and learn with some very experienced and amazing teachers. In terms of ongoing support, they have a dedicated way to contact tutors and receive support from them on any issues or concerns.

The qualification I study is the ACA from ICAEW. The principles learnt from the studies definitely help to build my understanding on concepts and topics. This helps to gain a base understanding but work experience and seeing real life examples helps to build my knowledge and understanding of the work done in my role.

EY has all the extra curricular activities you desire. There are several communities you can join who host all sorts of events. An example are the religious or ethnicity based communities that hold events to celebrate their corresponding events. There are a vast amount of opportunities and interests due to the size and diversity of EY.

Yes

EY is a great place to gain experience and build your skills. Being part of the 'big 4' means that EY has specialised knowledge and people which allows for an apprentice to learn all aspects of an Audit. Additionally, working at EY is a great CV booster and is well respected.

Be yourself as part of the application process. The people that work at EY are so diverse and different from what you would imagine. I would also recommend researching the area you have applied for e.g. Audit, Tax etc. You can reference this knowledge in your interview to show your determination.