Longer term, I'd like to gain business experience abroad, possibly on an NAO secondment. Prior to working with the NAO I spent several years working as a Civil engineer both as a contractor and consultant. I also held a couple of academic posts, researching the complexities of hydraulic systems. However throughout all these experiences I'd always been fascinated by local politics and the intrigues of central government, so the chance to join an organisation like the NAO was too hard to resist. Moving from engineering into the government sector hasn't proved such as radical change of career as you might think.
Engineering calls for an analytical mind and good communication skills so does auditing.
From a knowledge perspective, I feel comfortable with the accounts I've been assigned. The Highways Agency account requires me to examine the Agency's controls over expenditure and the Countryside Agency account has introduced me to the intricacies of an accruals-based account. Of course, learning the fundamentals of accounting was new to me. One of the attractions of coming to the NAO was the chance to receive recognised professional training, but I did wonder how I'd fare. I think the balance is right here.