Flying Start Degree Programme - Trainee, London Review

As a team member, my role was to assist my team(s) in progressing with audit work. It was my responsibility to ensure tasks delegated to me were completed to the best possible standard. I received tremendous amount of support from my seniors who coached me. Their help was invaluable especially during such unprecedented times. I had worked on a number of different clients during my placement. Both internal and external contacts were very friendly and fun to work with. They understood that I was new to the firm, hence took their time explaining things which I did not understand. I believe this has given me a better understanding of a variety of areas, and improved my technical capabilities during my time at PwC.

I have developed skills such as my technical capabilities and time management. During my placement, I was taught how to efficiently and effectively utilise the digital tools made available to us by the firm. Using these approved tools allowed me to complete audit work to a better standard. There are many teams available to whom we can reach out to, so they may assist us. Furthermore, I have greatly improved by time management skills. I have learnt to prioritise tasks which require more time and documentation. I have started scheduling tasks throughout my day and keeping a checklist alongside it. This ensured I completed the required tasks regularly and helped with swift progression of audits.

I enjoy this programme a lot. The team ethic and relationships among team members boost team morale greatly and improves productivity. The teams I have been part of would take time out regularly to have catch ups with the team. During these catch ups, not only would we check in on our overall progress, but also have some relaxed, non-work related conversations. Given this pandemic has more or less taken away the social aspect of work, I believe these catch ups have eased tension during such difficult times. One of PwC's critical behaviours is a Team First mentality which is prioritised throughout work. This is one of the many reasons why working at this firm is not only rewarding but also enjoyable. After a couple months at the firm, I can comfortably say my expectations have been well exceeded. From the supporting, positive working environment to the training and digital tools given to us, it has been a great learning experience for me.

The programme was structured very well. We had an induction followed by training during the first couple of weeks prior to our actual work placement. We received a great amount of support from buddies, career coach, people managers, champions and university contacts. My coach and university contact(s) would organise regular meetings with me to check in on my progress, how I am finding things and if I required any support. There was no limit to who I was able to reach out to, making this experience that much better. In terms of work, task delegations was clear and well organised. Through the use of trackers, it was clear which team member was required to complete what task. This allowed the team to check in on overall progress, offer help to one another and distribute tasks evenly depending on current workload.

As mentioned before, the amount of support I received was tremendous. I was able to reach out to team managers and other senior staff members. They would always help me out regardless of how many questions I had for them. The accessibility of support was exercised well as we had a number of channels to reach out to. The overall guidance with problems was great as, personally, my issues were resolved time efficiently. The general attitude towards supporting me was genuine, friendly and helpful.

The support provided to me was of a high level. There has always been a lot of supporting material online (on our university's website) which helped me throughout my placement. For example, there were times where some content I had learnt online from university, was applied at work and improved my technical understanding in terms of auditing work. In terms of my degree, our tutor had put up lectures weekly for topics which has helped us learn and prepare for our exams.

I believe that what I am learning through this placement helps me in my day-to-day role as an auditor. One example would be the theory I am learning at university, it is directly linked to auditing as it is essentially the manual to learning what is required during an audit. I am able to understand work processes better due to the understanding I have received from university. I was able to put this theory into practice and exercised this by performing work to a high standard. I believe I have learnt more about not only my individual role but also the industry I am part of through this placement.

Given the current circumstances we are in due to the pandemic, it has been tough to have extra-curricular activities and social gatherings. Nonetheless, PwC have still found a way round that by making it all digital. We were able to have 'catch-ups' online, which worked similar to how we would alternatively catch up over coffee had we been working in person. I believe this has contributed towards creating more balance to working in such unprecedented times.

Yes

The programme is rewarding and enjoyable if you are interested in the field of accounting. The support available to you is tremendous. From my personal experience, you can reach out to anyone and they will help you find a solution. Whether it is simply them sorting out the problem, or helping you find the right direction to the solution. There are plenty of resources which assist with learning and work. The work ethic and culture of the company is amazing and their team first mentality is exercised throughout work.

The first piece of advice I would give is only two words but very important: stay calm! It can be overwhelming especially applying to a work at a firm such as PwC. However, if you stay cool and put your mind to it, you can do it! It is a good idea to do some research on the company in terms of, for example, their critical behaviours and what they look for in individuals. You can express yourself in that context to show them that you are one the people they are looking for. The opportunities available to you are endless. I say this because with a qualification like this, you can take it with you around the world.