Intern Review

My role: primarily my role is to support the supervisors and engagement team on our client audit engagements, whilst occasionally having direct contact with the client themselves. This involved: performing reconciliations of client accounts, preparing board minutes, inspecting client documents to ensure they passed our audit tests and documenting this.

I have learnt several new skills. IT skills: formatting and preparing excel spreadsheets (including using formulas), using PwC specific applications and improving knowledge of PowerPoint. Audit skills: how to perform audit procedures more effectively. I also developed an existing skill. Communication skills: learning the best way to communicate with clients in both written and oral forms - more efficiently and effectively.

I enjoy my programme to a large extent due to its sheer variety in what it offers and the fantastic head start it provides as a student trying to break into the finance industry. I also have loved the ability to live in two separate cities for work and uni. The only downside is perhaps the repetitive nature of the work, however this should change for next placement when more responsibility is granted.

My programme is incredibly well organised and structured with fixed key dates for our work placements and professional exams for when we returned back to uni. This fixed structure was communicated very well by the programme leaders, who have been so approachable to answer questions and committed to ensuring our programme runs as smoothly as possible.

We receive solid support from PwC who: provide us with superb staff perks whilst on placement, put us up in accomodation in our working city and provide guidance on exams. The only area I feel they could improve is in terms of having more contact with our uni lecturers regarding exam advice.

ICAEW support us in terms of providing us free e-books, access to a broad variety of learning tools and information on their website and even free access to their London HQ as a student with them. However, I haven't felt like they have played a big part during our placement, and other than promotional emails haven't been contacted by anyone from the ICAEW.

In my opinion understanding the content in our qualification is crucial to performing better in my role, as the theory is so applicable to the practice. Also, the qualification enables you to understand the bigger picture of audit, accounting and finance which enables me to understand why I am performing the testing in my job.

There are numerous extra-curricular activities to get involved in at my work. PwC have socials weekly in London and strongly encourage them. We have been to bars for drinks, restaurants for dinners, crazy golf and recently bingo for our christmas party. For specific networking events I have had to get involved with external organisations.

Yes

PwC is a world-class firm with world-class minds. It offers both reputational and intellectual prestige to any individual working there. Aside from the professional benefits the firm supplies, it also offers huge social benefits. It is a firm that champions diversity and inclusion and has rewritten what the typical financier/accountant looks like. As long as the individual has the right attitude and ambition, they are welcomed by PwC regardless of where they came from in life.

My advice would be: research the industry, the firm and the jobs within both to the maximum so you understand precisely what type of person PwC looks for (are you the right fit for them) and exactly whether they align with your goals (are you the right fit for them). Bonus tip: show off your extra curricular achievements in life - these will be loved when applying!