Associate Review

My role involves auditing a vast range of clients' financial statements. I work with teams ranging from 2 - 15 covering different financial statement line items to help the team gain comfort over numbers being reported to shareholders and other users of the financial statements. On a daily basis I am usually based away from the office on client site performing tests to trace reported amounts to supporting documentation. I work through areas independently but also gain support from all team members around me.

I have learnt a lot of new skills across my three placements. I have learnt about a range of accounting and auditing standards/ requirements, which are important to our work. I have worked towards my ACA qualifications by undertaking teaching and exams in 12/15 of the required exams. I have learnt a lot of professional skills including strong communication skills, use of excel and other computer systems, and the ability to manage various demands at once. In my role I have learnt how to support others and provide support when others need it.

I have really enjoyed my programme. I have developed a vast network of friends across the PwC offices, which puts me in a good place to share my experiences and obtain advice from others who are going through similar things. My programme really challenges me to come out of my comfort zone and contribute to important, tangible end products - financial statements. My programme has been an amazing head start to get me into the world of accounting and auditing. The teams I have worked with have created great working atmospheres to keep us all motivated and happy. The work has been hard and often long hours.

The course is structured well. From the moment of acceptance onto the course we received clear communication about the expectations of us and what we could expect in the four years to come. We have received excellent training at all stages to help us prepare for real life situations. The support has been excellent from both the university and colleagues at PwC. The overall operation of the course runs very smoothly and is organised in a way so we can get the most from our placements.

I have received a lot of support from PwC. My people manager has been an excellent source of contact to answer any of my questions and concerns. She has always been available and never pushes me away when I ask things of her. In addition to this there is an excellent group of Flying Starts who buddy each other, meaning older year groups share their experiences and offer all the support they can. It is great to have PwC behind me.

The support from Reading University has been really good. The lecturers we have had across the four years have been really knowledgeable and good at structuring lectures in a way to stretch up and help us really understand what we are learning. They have provided excellent guidance when working through problems, offering to go through mock exams/essays. I have really enjoyed my time at Reading. Whenever I go to my course director with queries or feedback on the course it is addressed in a timely manner.

What I learn in my day-to-day role at PwC is directly linked to my degree teaching and qualifications at the University of Reading. I am training to become a chartered accountant and my time at PwC has prepared me well to get there. A lot of times the university exams I undertake can be related to experiences I have had directly with PwC. I know a lot about the industry from completing my qualification and similarly the teaching before placement prepared me for work to come.

I have been involved in a lot of social activities at my work at PwC. They hold weekly quizzes which involve the whole office, and is a good opportunity to have down time on a Friday afternoon. They also hold quarterly quizzes competing against the whole region which is fun to be involved in. There have also been multiple de-brief meals where as teams we have been recognised by senior management and rewarded for all of our hard work. They also offer opportunities for sports clubs, such as badminton adn football.

Yes

PwC are an excellent company. They offer so many opportunities to try new things and keep learning. I have been given the chance to in-charge engagements and take on responsibility for oversight of the whole audit progression. They open doors to different lines of service, even if audit doesn't suit you. They have an excellent reputation for a reason and definitely reward all the hard work that you put in through social and formal events. I would recommend PwC to anyone.

My advice would be to be yourself and do your research. You have to be passionate about wanting to work hard, learn lots and enter a competitive market. Students should research the PwC professional which is Business Accumen, Technical Capabilities, Global accumen, self leadership, leading others, and relationships. Students should think of how they have demonstrated the skills desired by PwC across these areas. They should practice interview questions and numberical reasoning and psychometric tests. They should take opportunities to have work experience at the firm.