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Firm & Corporate Exam Support

Practical, psychologically-informed support for firms and trainees navigating professional exams.

Edel Walsh works with firms, training organisations, and professional exam trainees to support performance, confidence, and wellbeing during high-pressure exam periods.

As a qualified Coach and with years of experience supporting accounting trainees, Edel brings a calm, structured, and human approach to exam preparation - helping individuals and organisations achieve strong results without unnecessary burnout.

Ways we can work together

Who This Support Is For

 

This work is designed for:

  • Accounting and professional services firms supporting exam trainees

  • Training and performance managers seeking structured, reliable external support

  • Trainees preparing for high-stakes professional exams

  • Organisations who care about both performance and wellbeing

  • Firms looking to improve retention, confidence, and exam outcomes

Support can be delivered to individuals, cohorts, or embedded within broader training and development programmes. All services are tailored to the firm’s context, culture, and requirements.

Ways to Work Together

Exam Success Culture

Consultancy for Firms

Edel works with professional services firms to build a strong, supportive exam success culture that helps trainees pass exams sooner, without burnout.

Through a structured Exam Success Analysis, Edel partners with firms to understand what is really driving exam performance. This may include confidential surveys, focus groups, and trend analysis across recent exam cycles.

Insights are translated into practical, people-focused recommendations for leadership and L&D teams, helping to improve pass rates, confidence, and well-being while creating an environment where trainees feel supported, understood, and set up to succeed.

Best for:
Firms seeking a strategic, evidence-based approach to improving exam outcomes and trainee experience.

Contact Edel

Exam Success Training Series

Workshops for Trainee Cohorts

Targeted workshops delivered online or in person, focused on the psychological and practical aspects of exam performance.

The series goes beyond technical study methods and helps trainees develop the mindset, structure, and strategies needed to perform under pressure.

Topics may include:

  • Smart study strategies for busy professionals

  • Time management and prioritisation during exam periods

  • Building confidence and resilience

  • Managing exam anxiety and performance pressure

Workshops are interactive, practical, and designed to be immediately applicable alongside existing technical training.

Best for:
Firms who want to support multiple trainees efficiently while maintaining quality and depth.

Download our full brochure

Exam Coaching Clinics

Intensive 1:1 Support for Trainees

Edel delivers tailored Exam Coaching Clinics for accountancy and tax firms who want to actively support trainees through professional exams and see measurable results.

These clinics provide focused 1:1 coaching sessions where trainees receive personalised guidance on:

  • Study strategy and planning

  • Time management

  • Exam technique

  • Mental preparation and confidence

Delivered online or in person, and available as half-day or full-day clinics, this approach supports trainees at every stage of their training contract.

For firms, the clinics help improve exam performance, reduce repeat sittings, and strengthen wellbeing, engagement, and retention — embedding a healthier, more effective exam success culture across the organisation.

For information on Exam Coaching Clinics, let’s talk.

Contact Edel

Support for Performance Managers

Helping Managers Support Trainees Effectively

Professional exams place significant demands not only on trainees, but also on the managers supporting them.

This targeted support equips performance managers with practical tools and strategies to better guide trainees through the exam journey — beyond study leave and flexible hours.

Areas of focus include:

  • Understanding the common challenges faced by exam trainees

  • Conducting supportive check-ins and mentoring conversations

  • Recognising signs of stress and knowing when to escalate support

  • Creating an environment of trust, accountability, and clarity

This work helps managers feel more confident in their role, while ensuring trainees feel supported, understood, and set up for success.

Best for:
Firms who want to strengthen line-manager capability alongside trainee performance and wellbeing.

Contact Edel

How This Work Helps

Firms and trainees often report:

  • Increased confidence and clarity under exam pressure

  • Improved focus, motivation, and consistency

  • Reduced anxiety and emotional overwhelm

  • More sustainable performance across exam cycles

  • Stronger engagement and retention among trainees

The aim is not just to “get through the exams”, but to build resilience and self-trust that lasts beyond them.

What Firms and Trainees Say

Edel delivered three sessions for our CPD events in 2025 and was excellent every time. Edel is a highly engaging, knowledgeable, and professional speaker.
Edel covered topics including Dealing with Conflict, The Power of Mindset, Building Resilience, and Thriving Through Challenges, delivering practical insights and strategies that attendees could immediately apply in their professional and personal lives.
Feedback from event attendees was very positive, many commented on Edel’s ability to make complex topics relatable and impactful.
We would highly recommend Edel as a speaker and would happily work with her again for future CPD events.

- Caoimhe, Omnipro

Edel supports my organization across a number of programmes for our graduates and consistently delivers high-quality sessions. She has a strong ability to hold, engage, and motivate an audience, creating an environment that is both interactive and impactful. Edel is extremely easy to work with and brings content that is useful, practical, and highly relevant, with real-life examples woven throughout her sessions. Her credibility within the profession is clear and adds significant value to the learning experience for our graduates.

 
- Doireann Lalor, EY

A Note from Edel

I’ve spent many years working with students and professionals during some of the most demanding periods of their careers.

My approach is grounded, practical, and psychologically informed. I work alongside existing training structures, not in competition with them - offering support that is calm, clear, and tailored to the realities trainees are facing.

I believe exam success and wellbeing do not need to be at odds. With the right support in place, people can perform well and stay connected to themselves in the process.

If you’d like to explore how this support could work within your organisation, I invite you to get in touch to arrange an introductory conversation.

Enquire about Firm & Corporate Exam Support