Yuming tells us about his role as a Trainee Auditor with the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
Please tell us a little bit about your role.
I assist my line manager with audits of public sector bodies. My job involves checking financial records and compliance with rules, identifying risks or problems, and helping assess whether public money is being used properly and delivers good value.
What were your reasons for applying for your role?
The role offered the opportunity to gain hands-on audit experience while studying towards a professional accounting qualification. I saw it as a great foundation for a long-term career in accounting and auditing.
What do you value most about your job?
What I value most is the opportunity to gain practical audit experience while working towards my professional accounting qualification. The support from experienced colleagues has helped me develop my knowledge and skills.
What are some of the benefits and supports available to you?
I really appreciate the learning and development support. My employer pays for my tuition fees for my professional qualification and provides generous study leave for exams. This means I can gain valuable work experience while progressing towards becoming a qualified accountant without having to manage the full cost or use all my annual leave for studying.
What opportunities has this role provided for you?
I have had the opportunity to work on audits for a range of public sector bodies, including hospitals, semi-state bodies, and universities. This has helped me understand how different organisations operate.
What has surprised you since starting this role?
I was surprised by how much ownership I was given as a trainee. I was trusted to manage my own audit tasks, organise my workload, and meet deadlines while still having support from my colleagues and manager whenever I needed it. This helped me build confidence and develop professionally.
What aspect of the role do you particularly enjoy?
I enjoy that the role provides continuous learning. Every audit helps me build my technical knowledge, improve my analytical skills, and apply what I have learnt from my professional accounting studies to real situations.
Would you recommend a career in the public sector and why?
Absolutely. I would recommend a career in the public sector. One of the reasons is that it offers a competitive starting salary, especially for graduates and trainees, which provides good financial stability at the beginning of your career. In addition to the salary, there are excellent benefits such as support for professional qualifications, funded tuition fees, generous paid study leave, a good work-life balance, and a clear career progression path.
Anything else you would like to share?
One thing I would like to mention is how supportive my team has been. As a trainee, I was encouraged to ask questions, and my managers and colleagues were always willing to share their knowledge and provide guidance when I needed it.