FIRST 6 MONTHS
Training
During your first six months, heavy emphasis is placed on training on the basic skills of preparation of financial statements – what we refer to as our Fundamentals. This emphasis is due to our perception of the accountant’s role being to focus on how to assist clients with proactive management and financial ideas, suggestions and advice, and consequently be more involved in their businesses. To enable this to happen we believe that the basic concepts and procedures of preparation of financial statements and income tax returns need to be so well understood by the accountant involved that they become second nature. With this level of skill and appropriate quality assurance procedures in place, we believe our focus and attention is freed to be able to better help our clients.

Our training methodology is to introduce the theory, then go straight into applying what is learnt. Theory is then revisited at a later stage, in accordance with the levels of training for a particular area (after you have seen the practical application of the theory on the job a few times).

Adopting this methodology has allowed us to give team members a better understanding of what they are being taught, helping them to establish a connection between the theory and the practice, and provide relevant context for the training.

Client Work
Right at the outset you are involved in handling the preparation of financial statements and income tax returns on a “from start to finish” basis.

Typically you will begin with a sole trader or partnership client.

You are responsible for all aspects of the job, encompassing:

• Ensuring all relevant client information has been received with reference to the client’s Information Needed Checklist
• Coding the client’s data and inputting it into our General Ledger System
• Generating the Financial Statements
• Reviewing those Financial Statements for integrity
• Making corrections and adjustments following your review
• Preparing Income Tax Returns
• Composing the Covering Letter to go to the client
• Preparing the Fee
• And compiling the job to be sent out to the client.

At all stages of the job your supporter, who generally will be the team member who worked on the job the previous year, will provide you with assistance and guidance. A more experienced team member will review your work before finalization. Initially your supporter will effectively work side-by-side with you, with the level of support reducing over the six months as you gain experience and confidence. During your initial six months client contact is minimal.

6 – 12 MONTHS
Training
During this period, training becomes more specific as the need arises on the job. These training items are referred to as Specifics, and address higher-level training needs as you begin to deal with more complex clients.

Consolidation of your Fundamentals training also occurs during this period as your experience increases.

Client Work
As you gain more and more experience, you begin to deal with more complex clients. Client contact in this period becomes more common.

12 – 24 MONTHS
Training
Specifics training will continue throughout this period, again as a need for training is identified or becomes relevant on the job. In this period, you become the trainer of new recruits entering the firm, and teach them the Fundamentals. This provides you with the opportunity to again consolidate your knowledge, as well as identify any “gaps” or weaknesses in your training.

Client Work
Client work continues to grow in complexity.

Through this period, you also assume the role of supporter of jobs for new trainees.

Client contact, whether by phone or in person, is part of your daily activities.

24 – 36 MONTHS
Training
With the Specifics training completed within this phase, training moves into providing you with higher-level Reviewing skills. Reviewing focuses on higher-level management and tax-related concepts.

Client Work
The opportunity to work on client special projects arises in this period, having had a solid exposure to general client work over the past 24 months.

In this period you move into a reviewing capacity, meaning that you review the work of other team members before it is finalized and presented to the client.

36 MONTHS – ONWARD
Training
Training on Advanced items is introduced as the situation arises. These items cover a broad range of business- and management-related skills, for example marketing and business valuations.

Client Work
Client work on an on-going basis covers: general, special and reviewing.