11th February 2025National Apprenticeship Week – Highlights of my experience as an Audit Trainee at HW Fisher, by Cameron Rowe

I joined HW Fisher in September 2024 as an Audit Trainee. This is a three-year apprenticeship programme, supporting the ICAEW’s ACA qualification to become a chartered accountant. After nearly six months in the role, it’s clear to see what makes HW Fisher stand out for supporting apprentices to meet their employment goals.

A distinct highlight is without a doubt the support from colleagues. You’re joining a culture of people which have all been in your shoes at one point in time, so they know exactly how daunting it can be to join a new environment and get started on your apprenticeship. You immediately get a sense of how friendly the firm is from day one, meeting various people across all departments as they give you a very warm welcome, and encourage you to reach out if you need anything. Gone is the cliché of the dog-eat-dog competitive corporate environment; people are rooting for you to excel in your role and have no issues in helping you in your journey.

The Buddy System is a great part of the experience. On your first day you are assigned to your Buddy, which is one year ahead of you into their apprenticeship. They are a great key contact to reach out to if you need anything at all. If you’re confused how to approach a certain task, need some exam tips and tricks, or just a coffee and a catch up after a long week, they regularly check in to see how things are going, and actively encourage you to seek out their vital know-how whenever you may need. My Buddy Ed has been amazing during my induction into the firm and has given some great advice based on his experiences so far.

I am one of twelve in our September 2024 intake, all of which have made the HW Fisher experience amazing so far. I’ve made some great mates that I catch up with outside the office, and it really helps to know that you’re working towards your goals together as a group. Everyone has their own strengths that they bring to the table, so it’s great to lean on each other and celebrate each other’s wins. The firm’s social events with your intake are always memorable, from Quizzes in the Hub, Oktoberfest celebrations, the firm’s Christmas party, or the acclaimed bi-annual Pub Golf events, it’s great to join your intake attending these and to meet people outside of your department.

In the day-to-day working in the office, there are great facilities which make the working environment really efficient. From a dedicated IT support team, office and maintenance services, HR, to everything in between, you know where to go if you need anything, and you have everything you need to support your daily working. Hot drink machines are placed around the office for a break from your desk to grab a tea or coffee. It’s always nice to catch up with other members of the team in the hub area at lunch and play a game of pool. Local amenities mean that if you haven’t brought lunch with you, it’s only a short walk to grab anything you fancy.

I always enjoy attending First Intuition (FI), which is the training provider that deliver the ACA qualification. Both FI locations are only a short walk from the office, so you don’t have to venture too far from your typical commute to the office. It’s great to learn the curriculum at FI and bring this into practice in the office as part of your day, or alternatively to get initial experience on the job and being familiar with this when you come to it in college.

As well as training at FI for the qualification, we have received a full training induction from various members of the Audit team, with a bespoke training package developed at HW Fisher. This helps to demonstrate the various programmes and processes in the day-to-day working on the Audit team, so you feel more confident and equipped when provided a task, or when working with colleagues on a specific client. Naturally, Audit is a broad service, and no two clients are the same, so you are actively encouraged to reach out for any queries you may have when putting your training into practice.

I’m looking forward to my time at HW Fisher, and I’ve found that I have everything I need to make my apprenticeship a great experience in my professional journey.