ACA Traineeship ideal study and exam planning

Hi everyone,

I work at a upper-mid-tier accountancy firm doing audit. We're doing ICAEW ACA over 3 years. At a training session today, my colleague and I realized absolutely everyone among our cohort is thinking of quitting because of the way the Careers team planning has impacted our studying and our confidence. Essentially, we've been pressured into sitting exams unprepared and failed - as we warned we would.

We're planning a meeting with one of the directors, to let them know what's going on - as we all know, the sector has retention issues, and we feel like we should let the higher-ups know what's going on. But we don't want to show up with nothing but complaints. We also want ideas!

For those of you who did a similar ACA Traineeship, what did you like about the way your firm organised the study and exams planning? Did you take all certificates first, professionals second or did you combine them? What made you feel confident and how much autonomy were you given in planning your exams?

Thank you guys!