External Audit Associate Review

My role varies massively every day as I constantly switch between different clients within a wide range of industries. It can be tricky handling a diverse portfolio of clients, however it definitely broadens your knowledge and makes you a more well rounded auditor. Daily tasks including carrying out testing on Microsoft Excel; liaising with the client to resolve issues and receive the appropriate evidence; and carrying out internal teams meetings to discuss progress and come up with solutions to problems. No two days are the same in this job.

During this placement, my audit knowledge has definitely improved from my first placement. I have also significantly improved in my use of Excel and PwC's own applications. However, what has particularly stood out for me is how I'm now able to start applying the knowledge I have gained from University into the work I am carrying out. This shows that the structure of the course does work and helps develop skills that can be used in a working environment.

Some days can be challenging and sometimes intense, however overall it is an enjoyable experience. You meet so many new people, who make each working day as pleasant as possible. Obviously, this placement has been a lot different due to the virtual audit setting at this current time. Nevertheless, there is a great working culture and you can learn so much from the people around you, who have all had a different journey into accounting and audit.

The overall structure is good and one of the attractive aspects of the course is the blend of university life with the experience you gain from working in a huge firm like PwC. Nevertheless, the gaps between placements are challenging, especially as you are expected to pick up where you left off straight away. However, there is a lot of support in place, both at PwC and the University, should you ever have any problems.

My career coach (people manager) is a big help. Any issue I have, he always finds the time to talk it through with me and will chase things up with other people where necessary. My experiences with other departments, such as HR and resourcing, have all been positive ones. At no point have I ever felt that the help isn't there if I've needed it. All you need to do is ask and someone will point you in the right direction.

We have very little interaction with ICAEW, however this is to be expected as our exams are sat through the university and not ICAEW. We do receive regular emails with general updates regarding ICAEW policies and news, which has been useful during these uncertain times. Every quarter we also receive ICAEW's quarterly magazine, which is a great insight into what it happening in the world around us and how this affects finance and accounting.

ICAEW's ACA exams and chartered accountancy qualification is one of the most attractive parts of this course. There's no better way of kicking off your career in accounting and set a platform for a future in the profession. The exams are obviously extremely challenging and become progressively harder as you work through your training contract and reach the advanced level, however the knowledge you gain and opportunities this presents definitely makes the hard work worthwhile.

Obviously, this is a difficult time to assess the extra-curricular activities as we are currently in a time like no other and with social distancing in place there is only so much that can be done. In the first placement, there were regular socials, including bowling, quizzes and the Christmas Ball. This has been restricted this time around, nevertheless, the firm has done everything they can to continue these in a virtual environment, both during the day and on an evening.

Yes

PwC is a first class accounting firm and there is no better place to kickstart your career. Every day presents a new challenge and provides an opportunity to learn and progress. Any current or former PwC employee will tell you though that PwC's best attribute is the people who work there. Not only are these people talented and extremely knowledgeable in what they do, they're genuinely good people who want to help you get better.

Enjoy the journey. It's a great opportunity and a lot of people would love the chance to work at a great firm like PwC. So take advantage of every bit of help and piece of advice you are given. Whether this is someone telling you about the firm in your interview or a colleague you bump into on your first day. There's so much to learn and utilising the knowledge passed onto you will set you up for a great career.