Associate Review

During placement with PwC, we will be treated as if we have just graduated from University. This means that we will be able to take on the same tasks and responsibilities that a newly graduated employee would do, but earlier in our careers.

At University, a session is run every week by representatives of PwC. In this session, we are taught essential skills that we will need when working with them on placement. This includes skills such as teamworking, networking, presentation skills, time management and computer skills.

I really enjoy the Flying Start degree programme as it feels like I am part of a community and it comforts me to know that other employees of PwC will recognise what a flying start is when I start working with them. Because our particular degree programme is quite small in comparison with other degree programmes, it means that our year group is really close and this makes the first few weeks less daunting. I feel that I get the support I need to complete my work, through workshops and seminars that are provided on a regular basis.

Despite not starting placements until the second year of university, I already feel like I have a good connection with PwC. Every week we have contact with a representative from PwC and we are able to interact with them and ask them questions.

The programme is very well structured. In the first year, all of our time is spent at University which gives us time to experience the university life and to also develop the skills and knowledge that we need for placement. In the second, third and fourth year, we spend 3 months on placement with PwC and the rest of the time at university. This enables us to put the work at university into practice on placement. It also means that we will be able to progress to a higher level each year that we go back on placement, enabling us to take on more responsibilities earlier than a normal graduate might experience.

The weekly session run by PwC gives us guidance about how to approach situations that we may come across in working life. We are also given a mentor from the year above us who we are able to ask any questions to, which is really helpful because they went through the same experiences as us a year ago.

We are assigned a personal tutor who we are able to contact if we have any questions and problems about anything during our time on this programme. There are also other support sources available to us at the university.

Having not gone on placement as of yet, I am unable to fully answer this question. However, I am confident that the salary will be enough to cover living, travel and other costs.

PwC gets involved in lots of different events outside of work. For example, I know that some employees are involved in volunteering in the local community. There are also other events, such as networking events, which enable us to meet even more people and gain a larger network.

Yes

This Flying start degree programme offers a unique, fast track opportunity, enabling me to graduate in 4 years and become a chartered accountant in 5 years. This programme also gives me the opportunity to work with one of the big four professional services firms which will really help me to develop my skills and get a great start in my career.

The application process for this programme seems overwhelming and daunting, but I found that it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. The first step is to send off an application via UCAS and wait for a reply from the university. If you are successful, a further application form will be sent, asking questions about business related topics. After this stage, there is an assessment day comprising of an individual interview and a group interview. Although this may sound terrifying, the staff and students make you feel at ease during the process. After this step, the course director will contact you the day after to give feedback and the decision.