Flying Start Degree programme - Intern/Trainee - Embankment London Review

My role on a day-to-day basis includes interaction with the client and my audit team. I am part of the audit engagement team that we carry out the year end audit of the client. This includes testing some areas of the file and ensuring that the amounts on TB agree with the listing provided by the client. In order to confirm that we continuously communicate with the client.

Yes, I have had the change to learn new skills but also develop some existing skills. I took ownership of some areas and thus was responsible for my areas to be completed on time and accurately. Moreover, I have worked on my communication with the client. This was because I was working form client side three days week. Thus, I had the chance to communicate with them in person and discuss any issues and queries regarding my testing.

I enjoyed my programme as I had the chance to work with new people and see how do they approach their testing and thus learn from them. One disadvantage about my experience was that at times it felt a bit overwhelming and I was required to work beyond my capabilities. This includes working long hours (until 11 pm).

My programme is well organised as University work and work experience are separated and we can focus at one thing at a time. One disadvantage I can think of and is something that it stresses me out is the fact that we are doing 3 placements with one year gap in between each. Then we come back in September and we join as Senior associates which includes more responsibilities. I believe that after finishing Flying start programme, we are not still ready to become SA1 as at each placement we are treated as Intern/Trainees with few responsibilities. I have discussed this with other fellow flying start students and they agree with the above.

The support from my employer is good. At the beginning of each placement we have some days of training. Also, we have our careac coaches which they can be really helpful and our team members. It would have been better if all the team members were better informed about flying start programme as most of the employees in PWC are not aware of this programme. If they are I believe they will be treating us more appropriately in terms of workload.

The support from my training provider was not good enough. For all my exams I could not only use the materials and teaching provided by my University. My queries were not resolved after talking to my lecturers as I was finding their responses confusing and misleading. As a result, I was using support outside my University in order to pass the exams. Moreover, the papers differ from the ICAEW papers. For my practise I was solving almost every past paper given by ICAEW but then when I was trying to solve University past papers I was not finding them the same and University papers were much more harder.

My qualification has a really good reputation and recognition and thus help me perform better in my role. Having the opportunity to work with PWC at such a young age and being exposed to such large clients is a really good opportunity that will help me in my future career.

Yes there are a lot of extra-curricular activities to get involved in at work. Each one of us is assigned to a social group and each group organises social events. At the beginning us Flying starts were not included into the group, and thus not receiving the massages and any calendar invitations. Thus we needed to reach out and as them to include us in the group.

Yes

PWC gives me the opportunity to expand on my knowledge and learn more around the audit. Also, working with my managers also helped me. One disadvantage is the long hours we are working. There is not a fixed time that you will leave from work and during busy period we are required to work really long hours, leaving us with little to no free time.

An advice that I will give to other applying to PWC is to make sure they ask to get involved in clients of their interest. There are a lot of industry groups and it is really helpful when you are working on something you are interested in. This can be discussed with their career coaches.