When you join Deloitte’s Audit & Assurance team through the early careers route, the firm covers the costs for you to learn and take your exams. Studying for your professional qualifications isn’t easy, but for me it’s been incredibly worthwhile. You’ll go to college to learn the content for six multiple choice exams, before taking the tests. After these are nine more over the remainder of your training contract, which become increasingly more difficult because they require application. For this phase you’ll typically do four weeks at college, with two weeks’ exam preparation. As part of this process, you’ll be offered a bank of practical examples and questions for you to practice. I advise aiming to complete as many of these as possible, because it will really help you to understand what will be in the exams.

I know it can be tempting to leave revision to the last minute, but if you start early, you’ll be ahead of the game. I suggest that you start your studies as soon as you finish learning the content in college for each module, so that it stays fresh in your mind. You’ll get study leave to prepare for your exams, but I advise taking time out on evenings and weekends to revise beforehand, so there’s less last-minute cramming. You’ll also go back to college two weeks before the exam to brush up and practice questions, which is really useful.

When you join Deloitte, everyone is in the same boat, and the graduates on your scheme will be doing the same professional qualification. I found it helpful to ask lots of questions to the people around me, as you can find plenty of support from your peers. Building networks and relationships will be an important part of your career, and there’s no better place to start than your own cohort. We all know exams can be difficult, so it’s good to be able to speak to others about your experiences.

In the Birmingham office where I’m based, a group of us have created a study group to support each other. At the moment we’re creating more exam resources, so that everyone has a summary of each exam and what it involves. We’re also organising group revision sessions, where people can get advice from others who’ve already taken the exams. When you join, you’ll have access to lots of resources and you can either join or start your own study groups.

Working whilst you study is good fun because you learn so much more, but it’s also hard work. It’s important to communicate with your managers about when you have exams and any workload reductions you need. Everyone in your team is likely to have done the same qualification, so don’t be afraid to talk to them about it and be open about your requests. If you ever find yourself struggling, you can reach out to your line manager for help.