Flying start degree programme - Placement 1, Cambridge Review

On a day-to-day basis I was performing work on audit engagements, completing a variety of different activities in relation to auditing companies' financial statements - I would often travel to the client's offices and work within the office, asking questions of the client where needed, and generally testing the underlying data which fed into their Financial statements.

My technical capabilities developed within this job - it was my first time using certain internal programmes, - and I feel as though by the end of the job I had a good grasp on a broad amount of the tools available, I feel as though having only ever used this version of their tools was a benefit for me, as it sounds like they had changed a lot compared to what people had got used to in previous versions.

I really value the split between academia and workplace experience on my degree programme - I find that I really enjoy working in a job - but believe that a degree is necessary in the current worldwide system to remain flexible at a high level of industry. I also really love applying the theoretical things I have learned in a real environment - seeing how they are useful.

I feel as though for the most part, the programme is brilliantly setup - the coaching while on placement is fantastic, as it uses the same systems PwC use at any other point of recruitment and internal training - these are tried and tested and work really well - at least in my experience.

The people at PwC create an environment where I felt comfortable asking any questions I may have had while on placement - and while we are at university they're very supportive in terms of resources for our learning - which I highly value, and I feel my coursemates do as well.

The University provide us with all the support we need in tandem with PwC - they provide us with not only the normal support available to a university student, but tailored support which is uniquely relevant to our programme with the placements happening part way through each of the final years.

I think that it would have been incredibly difficult for me to be placed into the heart of Busy Season at PwC and function if I hadn't had the previous training provided to me by the University - I wouldn't have functioned anywhere near as well, and therefore wouldn't have got as much value out of it myself.

There are loads of social activities setup at work - both internally to the firm, and externally just through people that you meet - the firm had multiple wellbeing and social events throughout the 3 months which I was there - from Game and pizza nights, through to Pilates or massage sessions to ease our minds.

Yes

Because I've found myself to thrive in the climate that it has - it's a lot of hard work - but I feel it would be wrong to shy away from a challenge like that, pressure is required to create a diamond after all - it doesn't just happen by itself.

Be yourself - this is my advice to anyone applying anywhere ever really, if you're right for the placement/job - you'll get it (providing the interviewer is worth their salt) - if you don't get it, then the position wasn't right for you in the first place really - whether only at that point in time, or just generally, and something else will come along with time.