Combining a university degree with a full-time job might not be the typical path to choose as a young adult. But for Anne Dorthe Moesgaard Andersen and Martin Juul Kristensen, the direct link between theory and practice and a sense of belonging are factors that drive them – both in their job at Deloitte and their education.
The two young auditors work full-time at Deloitte while studying an HD at Aarhus University – a programme tailored to students who wish to enhance their academic and professional competencies simultaneously.
This naturally entails classes at odd hours and less free time than most of their friends. Although they have to juggle several responsibilities and go to school during evenings or Saturdays, it is worth it. As Martin puts it:
“Gaining theoretical knowledge while getting practical experience is invaluable. Being able to put your skills into practice straight away makes it more fun to learn – and to work. You get a much steeper learning curve. I like getting the opportunity to transfer what I just learned in class to a task I am solving for a client.”
Anne Dorthe has a similar experience and highlights the many opportunities to truly help make an impact for clients early on.
- Being proactive has brought opportunities my way. When I had classes about revenue recognition, I got to apply the tools I gained on a client project the following week. In my opinion, that is the best possible outcome of combining education and work.
Coaching ensures constant development
When Anne Dorthe and Martin started at Deloitte, they became part of the ChangeMaker Audit & Assurance Graduate Programme – Deloitte’s two-year programme for all high school, bachelor and master graduates joining the Audit & Assurance business unit.
Through the programme, newcomers are assigned a coach who helps them navigate the many responsibilities, complementing learning with ‘on-the-job’ development and coaching.
- Although working full-time while studying certainly keeps you busy, you learn to manoeuvre tight schedules and responsibilities. Your coach is responsible for your personal and professional development and helps you balance work tasks and free time – in our case also school hours, Anne Dorthe says.
- On top of that, the ChangeMaker programme enables you to work with different aspects of audit to see where your strengths and interests lie. There are many opportunities to tailor your own tasks, Martin adds.
One of life’s most important communities
Martin’s work location is Deloitte’s office in Silkeborg, where he also lives. Anne Dorthe is affiliated with the Aarhus office, but through the ChangeMaker programme they are both part of a strong community of young talents from across the country.
Every year, all members of the programme get together on a course filled with learning and social activities – an event that boosts relations across Deloitte’s pool of young auditors.
- Deloitte is definitely one of life’s most important communities. It may sound cliché, but I do think it is true. You gain such a strong network of peers. It is much more than just a job, Anne Dorthe explains.
- We work in young and social teams, so you get a strong sense of belonging which personally helps me get through the long days and busy periods, Martin agrees.
The surprising reality of being an auditor
Martin discovered in high school that he wanted to work in audit, while Anne Dorthe’s career actually commenced at Siemens in Germany before she realised she wanted to discover the field of audit and join Deloitte.
Nevertheless, they are both positively surprised by the many opportunities in the audit department. In Martin’s words:
- You might have an idea of what it means to be an auditor. But it is so much more than pure numbers. You can also focus mainly on client relations or you can help recruit new colleagues. I personally enjoy the variety in the types of clients I get to work with.
- For me, being an auditor is very different from what I expected. Two and a half years in I can say that I enjoy coming to work every day, and it still surprises me how much I continue to learn, Anne Dorthe says and adds:
- My best advice for anyone who considers applying to become an auditor at a young age – whether you come straight out of high school or just finished a bachelor’s or master’s degree – is to do it. Even if you realise it is not for you it is a great learning journey and stepping stone for future career opportunities.
You can read more about Deloitte’s ChangeMaker programme here. We continuously look to recruit diverse talents for our audit practice, so do not hesitate to apply if Anne Dorthe and Martin’s perspectives have inspired you.
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