Flying start Review

My internship took place over busy season (December - March). Here I worked in the external audit business unit. In the asset and wealth management sector. On a daily basis I was communicating with the client to gain evidence to complete documentation to complete the audit. I would then document this evidence. This is the premise of audit in its simplest form.

Yes, I believe I have developed quite a few new skills. The first revolving around professional behaviour and how to conduct my self in a business setting. The second is excel skills, my excel improved dramatically as we use excel ever day in audit. Finally, I believe I developed how to manage a work life balance during busy season, this is a lot easier said than done.

The flying start programme is run in conjunction with a university. Meaning the whole of our cohort goes on placement at the same time. This is essential to maintaining a life as well as keeping up with work. It makes working more enjoyable. I would further this by saying audit isn't the most fascinating job in the world but PwC does have some of the best people working for them, this is what makes the internship enjoyable.

Our course has been running for around 20 years i believe. It has seen various different external changes such as covid which has altered how the course operates. This obviously caught the organisers off guard when booking things like accomodation. In general the staff do quite well at organising the programme.

PwC offers a range of programmes to its employees if you are struggling to cope emotionally or in general with things like the workload. This is obviously very hard to get right as the main stress is looming deadlines which have to be met, there is no escaping that. This stress can't be altered but they try their best with things like socials. This really helps take the stress off things.

The flying start is weird in the fact that our university exams give us exemptions from the ICAEW chartership exams. This means that when we finish the course we will have 3 out of the 15 exams left. In this regard this puts us ahead of other people in our position as we will qualify potentially two years earlier than other accountants

Becoming a charter accountant is quite essential in terms of progressing in the world of accounting. Therefore getting this qualification as soon as possible only aides my performance. This trainer is further provided by PwC as part of the flying start degree programme. All exams and qualification assessments are also paid for by PwC.

PwC has fantastic socials, i believe the term work hard play hard is very fitting here. Everyone is awhere that busy season is a killer and there's no way that can really change. But to compensate this, managers put on fantastic social events which really range in what you will be doing.

Yes

I believe PwC is a fantastic company. The culture in the company is great and productive, everyone wants you to get better and they are always there to support you. Its also a global company which offers many different roles in many different countries, this appeals to me and really in a USP of PwC.

Do your research around the role you will be expected to do and the company. I believe the first main factor is you need to be above average at the area you want to work in. In addition to this you need to show a desire to learn and improve.