Flying Start Degree programme - Intern/trainee Manchester Review

During my placement, I audited companies with a specific focus on auditing pension schemes. This meant on a daily basis I would look at documents such as actuary reports which would be provided by the client and third parties such as actuaries and ensure the company is correctly recording the pension liability or asset.

Throughout my placement I have seen my technical development grow from only having limited knowledge about pensions to having an in-depth knowledge on the specialist area. I have gained new skills most notably with Microsoft excel and the technology used at the firm but I have also developed my professional skills such as communication.

I have really enjoyed placement and the flying start degree programme. During my time on the programme I feel I have developed my knowledge and skills through university and work placements but I am also happy to have grown my network and made really good connections whilst at university and on placement.

I believe the programme has been well organised most of the time. As this was the first year of the programme at the University of Manchester there were some initial issues but these were resolved quickly. The organisation of placement has been very good, I knew what to expect from the very start and we were regularly updated with any changes.

I believe I have received a lot of support from PwC throughout myplacement and my time at university. Whilst on placement I always received good coaching and would always find help when I was struggling. Whilst at university, we received a lot of support from PwC who are present throughout the programme.

Throughout the programme, I have received a lot of support from the University of Manchester, I always felt comfortable approaching staff when I was struggling and always knew who I could contact when I had an issue. I believe the University of Manchester helped us develop both our technical and professional skills.

I believe the University of Manchester gave us the adequate knowledge to perform well on our work placements. I believe some modules were directly useful for our line of work whilst others allowed us to develop our professional skills such as presenting and communication and overall knowledge of the area of accounting

Throughout my work placement, we have been given the opportunity to get involved in many different experiences from social activities within your team and sports teams across the firm to participating in professional events allowing us to grow our network. These opportunities have improved the overall experience whilst on the programme and allowed us to make new connections and grow our networks.

Yes

I believe PwC is a very good organisation to work for, you get a lot of support throughout your time at the firm from anyone you ask and PwC also give you the opportunity to continually develop your knowledge and skills. I also believe there are a lot of social opportunities to get involved in at PwC allowing you to grow your network.

The tips I would give to others applying to PwC is to make sure you know about the company and what it does and it's values so you can express your knowledge in the application. I would also recommend developing your accounting knowledge and making sure this is the profession you want to go in to so you can make the make the most out of your career and the opportunities PwC provide.