Why you chose an apprenticeship

I had originally gone to university, however after studying my first year, I decided that I wasn’t really enjoying it and made the choice to leave, and that is when I decided to look into apprenticeships. I chose an apprenticeship as it gave me an opportunity to get on the job experience, whilst still studying towards achieving a highly credible qualification.

Your favourite part of the role

I enjoy having the mixture of work and study, as by completing an apprenticeship there are periods of study and periods of work, and so the combination of both means you’re always busy! I have found that the learning I complete in college has massively helped increase my confidence in my role at work.

More about the client-facing side of the job – what kind of interaction do you have with clients, and what level of responsibility do you take on?

The level of client facing tasks is dependent on the client itself. A lot of work is now completed online, however some clients prefer you to be on their site, and therefore you will go and work in the client’s office for the period of the audit. This gives you great exposure to different sectors and means that from early on in your apprenticeship, you are comfortable interacting with the clients. As you become more senior, you will be involved in more of the planning or completion side of jobs, which requires more interaction with the client, and with the increased volume of work, it also means more responsibility.

Insights from your first 6 months

The first few months can definitely be challenging, especially as someone who previously had no accountancy knowledge, and so it seemed like a foreign language! However, you quickly go into college, and once you are back at work you can directly see how the study ties into the day-to-day work. You get great support from other members of the team as everyone has been there at one point, and with such a large number of trainees all completing the same qualification, you always feel supported as many are going through the same process as you! TDP was a great start to the apprenticeship, as it was a more relaxed environment in which I was able to form better relationships with other members of my cohort.

What a typical day or week looks like for you

A typical day for me in the office for me will mainly be focused around client work, which involves reviewing client documentation, performing test, requesting information on our client portal. I will always check in with the senior on the job I am working on a few times across the day, just so that everyone in the team is aware what work is still needing to be completed, or if there are any issues. If I am currently studying for exams, then once I get home I will have to start revising! This can be tough after a long day at work, however making sure you put the hard work in is completely worth it!

Top 3 skills you’ve developed so far and a bit of context on how you’ve built them

Client communication: When I first joined, I was conscious of my lack of knowledge and experience, and so client facing jobs were more daunting. However as I have progressed through my exams, and gained more experience I am now able to confidently communicate with clients, knowing that I understand what I am talking about.

Time management: Balancing client work and exam preparation has massively improved my time management skills. I have had to learn how to effectively plan my days to ensure I get all tasks completed that are required for me, with a key part of this being to ensure I correctly manage my workload by communication with others in the team if I need more support.

Teamwork: Teamwork has definitely been a skill I have developed since I started my apprenticeship. I’ve worked on a large number of different audit teams, with different audit managers and partners, and so this means I am constantly working with different people. It is key to communicate effectively with others in the team to ensure all work gets completed within deadlines, especially during busy season!

What support you receive at Saffery to help you develop

The main support I receive at Saffery are from the people I work with day to day. There is always support from the senior/manager on the jobs, which can involve on the job coaching whilst completing audit work, or feedback after the job is complete to see areas where you can improve. Having a friendly and approachable team has made a big difference in helping me feel supported as I continue to develop my skills and knowledge.

The buddy system has been incredibly useful, especially in the first few months. I relied on my buddy a lot, asking her all range of things from how to test expenses, to how to book off holiday! Any question that came up I felt I could ask and she would help as soon as she could.

You also receive support from the large range of training resources available. The Early Careers team produce videos and template files to help junior trainees understand the processes they need to be following.

One piece of advice you’d give someone starting their professional qualification

Ask as many questions as you can! No one will think it is a silly question – everyone has been in the same place where they feel that they don’t know something, and the more questions you ask, the more you will get out of your apprenticeship!