Trainee Business Adviser Review

I have really enjoyed my first few months at BDO, I found that I have learnt a lot and that every day is different and interesting and there is so much to learn every day. I have also enjoyed the studying that BDO have put me through and am looking forward to progressing.

Everyone that I have personally worked with have been very helpful, friendly and welcoming. There is no question that seems silly or can't be answered by someone, no matter what the question is. I feel like everyone at work is actually interested in me as a person and ask genuine questions about me and my life too.

The management and senior members of staff give a great level of support. They are always there to answer any questions about the work I am doing or the firm in general and have also been such a great support whilst I am doing my exams and are always willing to help with the apprenticeship side of things.

My work load definitely fluctuates from day to day. There are some days where I am really busy and am not sure if I will get everything done, and there are also some days where I have a slow/quiet afternoon or have an hour or so where I don't have any work to do. However, most of the time I have a budgeted amount of time which I stick to and the planning board helps me plan for my time.

I feel like so far I have been given a good amount of responsibility, but not too much so I don't feel overwhelmed. I am completely responsible for my apprenticeship so I have to plan my time myself and make sure I study in my own time. I have also been assigned jobs that I work through on my own, and managers will review this.

The skills I have developed at work have helped me with my studies as I have practical knowledge behind the theory I am learning and I can see how the methods are applied in a real life situation. As well as this, I have learnt more personal skills such as time management, which helps aid me in my studies too.

The atmosphere is great in the office, everyone gets on really well and everyone can have a joke and a laugh from time to time. We also sometimes have social occasions where we network as a team and build a stronger team relationship. Everyone is really friendly which makes me look forward to work more.

So far, my studies have run smoothly, however there have been a few issues with college timetables, exam bookings etc. and this can sometimes be difficult to resolve. I also know of some of my other colleagues who have had to wait approximately 6 months to start studying - so this could be improved on.

Firstly, the firm pay for my study which is quite a big investment as they are not only paying for it, but are also investing time in allowing me to go to college once a week to complete my studies. As well as this, my manager has regular meetings with me to catch up on my progress and this is a great way to track my progress and show their interest in me and my path.

I am currently training with the firm doing my AAT, and then following this I will be doing my ACCA. I am really enjoying this job and can't wait to see where it can take me in the future. I am also really enjoying my study and can't wait to progress with this.

We have quite a good social scene in the office as a whole - we have pay day drinks, leaving drinks, new starter drinks and drinks for birthdays sometimes. We then also have the Christmas party at the end of the year which is really fun, and a summer party at the end of August.

I don't live in the area and it takes me around 1 hour - 1 hour and a half to get to work everyday and then the same back. I used to get the train but this was really expensive so I now drive and park as it makes more sense to me. Some of the pubs can be expensive but there are other options for evening socialising.

There are a few bars and clubs in Guildford, but I don't tend to go to them. The pub that is local to us is quite nice for lunch but again, I don't go there in the evenings. We did go to one club after the Christmas party but it was very busy so I wouldn't have recommended that.

There are always emails going round with other activities to get involved in - such as the step challenge, the cycling challenges, football tournaments etc. As well as this, there are always conferences and training going on which can be helpful for development.