Deloitte will overhaul how it trains junior auditors as advances in technology render much of the entry-level work they previously did unnecessary.<\/p>\n
The life of a junior auditor typically involves a lot of repetitive tasks, such as sending confirmation letters or preparing data. But due to improvements in artificial intelligence, a great deal of this work can now be automated, according to the Big Four accounting firm.<\/p>\n
From September, audit and assurance staff joining Deloitte\u2019s UK business will be given extra training in \u201ctransferable skills\u201d such as communication and problem-solving, and will be taught how to use AI tools in an effort to better prepare them for life as a modern auditor and help them deal with clients. <\/p>\n
\u2022 Are AI and global markets about to make accountancy sexy?<\/a><\/p>\n Deloitte\u2019s juniors will also sit 12 out of the 14 associate chartered accountant (ACA) exams in their first year at the firm, whereas previously the exams would be spread over three years. <\/p>\n To achieve this, they will be given more \u201cstudy days\u201d \u2014 135 compared to 113 now \u2014 where they are not expected to do any other work. These combined measures, the firm hopes, will allow them to get to grips with audit work uninterrupted in their second and third years.<\/p>\n Allee Bonnard, managing partner for audit and assurance at Deloitte, said the changes meant joiners would \u201cget the right training upfront and then get to work on more interesting work earlier on in their careers\u201d. <\/p>\n \u2022 Young accountants will be sent to pull pints to learn people skills<\/a><\/p>\n The firm\u2019s new approach echoes similar moves across the professional services sector, which is rapidly adapting to the dawn of the AI age. KPMG<\/a>, for instance, is training junior consultants to manage teams of AI agents to create slides and analyse data for them.<\/p>\n Improving the \u201chuman skills\u201d of graduates is also a concern. PwC<\/a>, for instance, has begun giving young staff training in resilience to help them handle workplace challenges such as negative feedback from clients.<\/p>\n