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Career Decision Help needed! NHS vs. KPMG

Hello everyone,
I'm at a crossroads in my career and would greatly appreciate your insights. I've received two job offers and I'm struggling to decide which path to take. Here's my situation:

Offer 1: NHS Apprentice Information Assistant
24-month apprenticeship
Starting salary: £23k, increasing to £25k upon completion
The role involves analyzing data to optimize trust performance
Aligns with my educational background in Healthcare Data Analytics
Allows me to live at home and commute, saving on rent

Offer 2: KPMG Audit (Regional Office)
Potential for higher salary progression
After 3 years and passing ACA exams, salary could reach around £45k
Prestigious company with potential for career advancement

My Considerations:
Career Progression: KPMG seems to offer faster salary growth and potentially more diverse opportunities.
Financial Situation: I come from a low-income background. My mother has been unemployed for years, and we have a mortgage to pay off. I'm eager to improve our financial situation quickly.
Job Satisfaction: The NHS role aligns more closely with my educational background, and I think I would enjoy the work.
Short-term vs Long-term Benefits: NHS offers immediate savings on living expenses, but KPMG might provide better long-term financial prospects.

I'm concerned that the NHS salary might be undervaluing my degree, but I'm also attracted to the work. The KPMG role offers faster financial growth, which is tempting given my family's situation.
I'd greatly appreciate any advice, especially from those who have experience in either the NHS or Big 4 accounting firms. How should I weigh these factors in making my decision?

Thank you in advance for your insights!

Reply 1

McGinger

If you do the apprenticeship, this will give you the chance to work out if you want to do this sort of work - regardless of where it is. This saves you money, and the disruption of leaving home, and the realisation that you don't like doing maths every day, or you are never likely to actually earn £45K, and then what do I do. Work out if being part of a massive organisation that improves many people's quality of life gives you more job satisfaction and self-worth than just 'earning money'. KPMG etc will still be there if you decide the corporate dollar is more important to you.

Reply 2

certii_db

KPMG is much better due to the ACCA qualification you will earn but the exams for it can be hard

Reply 3

Rblewett9

Original post by McGinger

I agree with what you've said. I’ve been going through the pre-employment checks with the NHS since the KPMG start date isn’t until September 2025. This gives me a year to try out the NHS role and see if I like it.
My main concern is that I might end up enjoying the job, but the pay over the next 5 years might not meet my expectations, which indeed is very important to me. On top of that, if I leave the NHS early to join KPMG, I’m not sure how it would look on my CV, especially since I wouldn't be completing the apprenticeship.
Any thoughts on this? Sorry for asking so many questions, my parents are leaving the decision up to me, and my friends are in different life phases, so I’d really appreciate some wider opinions. Thanks😬

Reply 4

Rblewett9

Original post by certii_db

KPMG is much better due to the ACCA qualification you will earn but the exams for it can be hard

Yesss, the job security aspect does concern me too, especially since I've heard about Big 4 firms cutting costs by letting go of unqualified graduate auditors. I think I'll continue to apply to other service lines within the Big 4 this year that may offer more security😮*💨