When I was at university I heard about the Summer Vacation program. I saw KPMG as being a global organization that could provide the opportunity to travel, which really appealed. I also saw a great support network for completing the CA program in Australia.
Yes, well for example KPMG not only gives you time off to study, but also prepares additional study materials such as real life case studies - it’s another resource, and another way of looking at things. Also, colleagues will take time out to lead you through review sessions and workshops.
It’s coming up to nine years since I joined as a graduate and I’ve had a variety of opportunities since. I had a secondment in London helping a global client with its transition to IFRS. I then went on another secondment with Transaction Services in Salt Lake City. I also spent two and a half years in DPP, the Financial Reporting Group, specializing in financial instruments among other things.
It’s an internal technical group that supports the whole of the Australian practice. If people have client issues, they come to DPP to resolve them. I had around 6 years’ client experience when I joined DPP, which gives you more of a business perspective on what Audit engagement teams may be looking for, or the resources they need to make their job a little bit easier.
Having come back into the Audit group I have a broader technical accounting base and awareness of where accounting standards and legislation are going. It’s another type of experience I can draw on, and that helps me to have more informed discussions with my clients. It has also increased my risk management awareness.
It certainly gives you a broad range of different skills, and the opportunity to work across a range of industries — you get to understand different systems, processes and the issues they may come across. Starting in Audit gives you a great springboard to go into other areas that interest you — and many opportunities will present themselves to move across divisions at KPMG.