Overview
As a recent graduate, I was very nervous to begin working a full-time job. However, the first six months at SIP has been an amazing transition from university life to work life. SIP is an organisation that is proud of their culture and core values that are lived by everyone daily. Beyond the working environment, there are many parts of SIP that have made my first six months here enjoyable. In a newly refurbished office, SIP is a beautiful location to work at. They have made the early stages of my career here comfortable and enjoyable.

Graduate Induction Program
SIP has a unique induction program. Learning both technical and social skills reflected the balance of a working day. Dedicated trainers allocated valuable time to teach recent graduates how to use softwares such as Xero, SIP Templates and other platforms that are critical to complete a high-level standard of work . Further, the buddy and mentor program are special features of the graduate programme. Being assigned to a buddy made me feel at ease and getting the opportunity to sit next to them made my transition into the office very comfortable. The relationship that I have developed with my mentor has been very special. They have guided me through many challenges, such as communicating with senior managers. My mentor is also key for additional support in developing my career. They have shown a strong interest in my career development with regular catch ups to discuss current progress as well as future goals and aspirations.

SIP Social Club
At SIP everyone is very hardworking, and achievements are always celebrated. One of the biggest aspects of the culture at SIP is the SIP Social Club. Through attending various events such as Trivia Nights, Bowling and Dumpling Nights, the Social Club has given me an opportunity to get to know my colleagues in a more casual setting. These events have granted many occasions to make friends and build strong relationships with members outside of the office.

TIA Foundation Course
SIP is a firm that is dedicated to guiding their junior employees to grow further. As part of the graduate program, it is a requirement to complete the TIA program which is held by The Tax Institute. This 12-week course was a critical learning curve in the program, as it is a focus on all matters relating to tax. This was an opportunity to learn technical material which is very important for completing work to the highest standard. This was also a good test run to learn about the work, life, study balance that will be experienced going forward as I begin the CA
program soon.