Rizwan, a school leaver from within our accounting and business advisory (ABA) team tell us what he has learnt from his experience of transitioning between school and the corporate world.
Rizwan discovered RSM’s school leaver programmes when he was researching alternatives to university, a path he knew wasn’t for him.
‘I knew I wanted to do something down the business or economics route. So, I had a look around for apprenticeships I could apply for and came across RSM’s school leaver programmes.’
In terms of his experience since joining RSM, Rizwan has really enjoyed his time so far, describing the team he works with as ‘incredibly friendly’. With a helpful and positive team surrounding him, he feels supported in his work.
At RSM, we offer opportunities to grow. Rizwan highlighted this excellently when he shared one of his highlights of working in the firm.
‘Getting to travel to different offices across the country and work from there provided a change in scenery, with access to new people and new experiences.’
Even small opportunities like this allow our young people within the firm to develop their confidence in communicating with new individuals, and in turn, provides them with great networking opportunities.
As we’ve heard from some of our school leavers, the work involved can be challenging, but the skills and experience gained in return is invaluable. Our apprentices can be reassured that they’ll be equipped with the knowledge required from our training programmes to succeed in their careers. Rizwan attests his success within the firm to the training he’s received: ‘the training I’ve had so far has been really beneficial to my role’ with ‘RSM supporting the on-going learning by offering leave as and when you require it [to work towards exams].’
This coupled with the consistent support given to school leavers through regular meetings with their line managers, ensures apprentices feel supported at every step of the journey. Rizwan told us that from his experience, managers will ‘always try their best to accommodate you’ regarding any potential concerns raised by individuals.
Interestingly, Rizwan voiced some of his preconceptions of the professional services world, as he initially thought that the workforce would be made up of older people. However, Rizwan emphasised that ‘this is far from the truth’. Rizwan shared that the reality of working in professional services is being part of a vibrant and friendly workforce, within a culture that wants you to succeed and grow.
With Rizwan’s positive experience at RSM evident, it’s no surprise that his piece of advice to new starters is:
‘Knuckle down with your A-Levels and apply early if there’s a job role that entices you, as these positions can fill up quickly.’
If you’re thinking about what to do after school and Rizwan’s experience sounds good to you – why not fast track your career with one of our school leavers programmes?
At RSM you’ll have a team of dedicated experts supporting you at every step of the journey. So, join us, we are ready for you to grow with us, and make an impact that counts.
