Flying start degree program - Associate, Birmingham Review

The role really gives you what you put in. I have been able to do everything a post grad could during my placement and I was treated as full team member. I excelled in my role and eventually I was in charge of graduate associate which has given me great experience in people management. Typically I would be working on testing the clients accounts to ensure they were correct.

This is my final placement (of 3 3 month placements) and I feel I have developed as a professional throughout with the help of my seniors. I have learnt the technical aspects of accounting as well as the soft skills such as people management and business communication which will help me in the future, even if that future is outside of accounting.

I thoroughly enjoyed the program as it has helped me to develop skills as well as make lasting business relationships. The fact that you earn money during your placements is also a big bonus as it has let me travel the world during my summer holidays which has made me far more open to settling down immediatly after university.

There is a lot of support both from the university of Nottingham and PwC. There are teams whose primary role is to support you throughout and are available to answer queries and arrange your placements so that you can get the most out of them. the fact that the university is also on hand to support you as and when required is also comforting.

They help you during university by providing you with text books to study but aside from this the educational aspect is largely dealt with by the universities. The hands on training side is dealt with entirely by PwC who put on week long training programs which relieve the feeling of being thrown into the deep end when you start your placement. They also have a team who are on hand to help you throughout the program and will help you maximise the experience you get.

University of Nottingham were very good for the most part. The lectures were very helpful however, there was one lecturer who let the side down. On a whole though very good. That being said the best part about the training is that we are excempt from so many ICAEW exams by the end of the course that we can quickly become chartered after we graduate.

The training is helpful as I didn't know anything about accounts before my first year at university. This year does not have a placement which allows you to gain the legal and technical knowledge to competently carry out testing when you begin your practical work. I think it was very helpful however, i do on occasion not feel as competent as my colleagues as they have continuously utilise there experience and so I feel they retain what they learn during there exams more efficiently

There are lots of activities to get involved with however, I have not done so. I do have an active social life with my work colleagues and with my university friends who I am on placement with. Social events are organised in large groups in the workplace but celebrations are held on a team level as well.

Yes

I really enjoy the experience I get with the company and I think it is very fast paced and challenging. I would add the caveat that if you do not want to work long hours doing challenging work then it isn't the job for you. Whilst the options will always be there to not do over time, you would be resented by your team and likely not make it far in the company so i would only really recommend PwC to friends who had the right mindset.

Be ready to work hard when you get there, the more you put in the more you will get out in terms of experience, responsibility and also pay as there is an overtime scheme in place. I would study up on the ethical side of accounting before your interview as this is very relevant to the job and a breach of ethics can seriously damage the company.