Flying Start Degree programme - FS1 and East Midlands Office Review

I work at an associate level in the East Midlands Office. My day to day tasks involve looking at different financial instruments and conducting testing mainly in the form of controls testing and substantive analytics. I regularly engage with the client to request documents needed to complete my testing over a secure document exchange platform.

Yes, i have been able to develop my team-working skills and skills related to my work. These involve regularly communicating with the team and providing updates as to my progress. I have also been able to develop my technical and judgemental skills to ensure quality in the audit and in my work.

I enjoyed it a lot but it can be challenging at times. It can be stressing as it requires that you're proactive for an extended period of time. There can be uncertainties at times and a lot of time can be wasted figuring things out independently, causing a disruption in your progress.

The flow from accounting theory learned during University to the pre-placement training to the placement and finally to the exams is very efficient and makes sure that any knowledge gain is retained and applied effectively throughout the programme. Overall, it makes sure that audit knowledge if learned and put into practice which i think is essential as part of the learning progress.

I receive good support from the employer. There are many resources available around the office and amongst the audit team that enable effective support and makes sure that any queries are answered well. We also have working buddies and career coaches which we are able to bring issues up to.

I think the training provider does a good job of supporting my qualification. As someone who lives very far away from the East Midlands office, PwC have provided paid accommodation which has massively helped my commute to the office and my living situation. PwC also pay for exams and resources required for revision.

The qualification ensures that we are prepared for audit in practice. The spread of the exams cover a wide range of theory and the training provided pre-placement massively supports the competency throughout the placement. I think the training and the exams work in conjunction with ensuring that we know what to expect and how to respond in a real life audit.

There are many social events that happen throughout the year. During my placements, there has been 1 social event so far and i have also been invited to some social events related to my religion. For example, there have been socials popping up to celebrate the beginning of fasting and the Muslim community.

Yes

I think the programme is fantastic and a very quick way to get an audit qualification. There are many benefits in the programme and these include the practical work experience, support for exams, and a quick route to becoming a fully chartered accountant. The course structure is very well organised.

It can be challenging but persevere. On your placements, use the resources around you and don't hesitate to ask questions. Attack problems early to prevent them from snowballing. Leave sufficient times to revise for exams as they do get exponentially more challenging year on year. Make sure you cover practice questions before exam.