On 19 April, 40 T Level Accounting, T Level Finance and BTEC Level 3 BTEC Business students from Kingston College visited KPMG's UK Head Office in Canary Wharf as part of KMPG's 'Opening Doors to Opportunity' initiative.
Students were taken up to the thirteenth floor of KPMG's newly-refurbished building, where the professional service company normally take their corporate clients. There, they were introduced to the departments within the business, its aims, and some of its successes.
Aided by KPMG staff, they revised different types of taxation and then had to complete a number of tax calculations, something which the T Level students will need to do in their upcoming exams. This was followed by an interesting discussion about what the government's tax revenue should be spent on, the role of the public and private sectors, and the advantages and disadvantages of government borrowing.
Then, students enjoyed a tour of the facilities, and heard how KPMG have responded to new ways of working since COVID. They even managed to get a peek into the partner's lounge!
Finally, there was a discussion of the role of professional services companies in advising clients on tax disputes, and students grappled with the nuances of the recent case where McVities Jaffa Cakes were ruled to be cakes not biscuits, meaning their manufacturers did not have to pay VAT.
It was a fantastic trip, which helped consolidate students' understanding of key topics in Business and helped to get them thinking about the potential career opportunities in businesses of this kind.
