Associate Review

My apprenticeship lasts for 18 months and I am splitting my time across 6 different areas of tax, which is providing me with a fantastic level of exposure to the corporate world! I mainly spend my time assisting with client projects, completing VAT returns and corresponding with our clients.

The main skill that I have been developing is my communication level, both internally with my professional peers and also ensuring that I can explain complex issues succinctly to our clients. This has been of most benefit to me when documenting controls and procedures for our clients.

The thing that I love the most is the level of variety, no day is the same and you are consistently provided with new opportunities to test yourself with. I also find it exciting when I am given a lot of responsibilities, especially when that includes driving my own workload.

I would say that whilst the programme is fairly well structured, you will get what you put into it. By this I mean that by consistently putting yourself forward, more rewarding and exciting opportunities come your way. The internal support is also outstanding and there are always people willing to help

The support levels are impressive, be that from having personal emergencies, to working on my professional qualifications. It is not forgotten that we are human and need support from time to time, which the other members at PwC are excellent at providing. There is always someone willing and able to assist you with any question, query or situation

I have been provided with all the materials, both physically and digitally, as well as attending college days throughout the work week. The training provider also allows me to ask any questions to a tutor, who will aim to provide me a response within 48 hours. In addition to this there is also a live chat feature, for any burning questions that I may have

The ATT qualification is a massive beneficial aid to assist my understanding of some of the work that I am doing, as well as allowing me to better understand the bigger picture. I don't think that there is a better option when starting a career in tax and I am relieved that I didn't jump in with the ACA upon starting as this wouldn't have been quite so relevant

I have been getting involved in some professional networking events that run across different areas of tax. The main benefit of joining this workstream is that I am being exposed to a lot of senior members of staff, who have been at the business for a very long time. This has helped me to build my profile within the firm

Yes

It is a fantastic place to work, with a lot of supporting fun colleagues! You will be given a lot of responsibility, without the handholding, which is very empowering when driving your career forward. The stigma surrounding working at a Big 4 firm is unjust and I really do not think that it fairly represents a career in tax. I have been in the role for 6 months now and I currently cannot see myself wanting to work anywhere else, I am thoroughly looking forward to progressing my career with PwC as I develop into a tax professional

Do your research and really understand what it is that PwC does, who they do it for and why you would be the best fit for the role. It is competitive, but don't let that put you off because attaining a position at this prestigious firm is a fantastic achievement!