I really felt like a valued member of the team from day 1 of the internship
Meet Luke, an Associate in our Strategy& Deals team in London. Luke first joined the team on our Summer Internship Programme in the summer of 2021, while studying for his Economics undergraduate degree. As an intern, he was given the opportunity to work on a variety of projects across retail, education and industrial products. It was during this internship that Luke discovered his passion for strategy consulting and the impact it can have on various industries. He then returned to the team the following autumn as a graduate.
"One of the things I loved about my internship at Strategy& was the diversity of projects I got to work on in such a small time frame. I had the opportunity to work on projects across multiple industries, ranging from a commercial due diligence for a cosmetic pharmaceutical company all the way through to a strategy piece for a large car manufacturer. It was amazing to see the impact our work had for both clients."
Luke also appreciates the flat-hierarchical culture in Strategy&. He found that everyone, from his peers to the senior leadership team, was keen to hear his ideas and really welcomed him from day one.
"Even though I was only there for 10 weeks during the summer, I always felt like a valued member of the team. I was given real responsibilities and the support to succeed, which allowed me to learn through real work and projects without feeling overwhelmed.”
Outside of work, Luke enjoys socialising with friends and pursuing sports, such as sailing, cycling and skiing. He appreciated the frequent organised socials in Strategy& which allowed him to get to know his colleagues in an informal setting throughout the internship, as well as the structured welfare programmes giving him the opportunity to continue practising sport outside of work.
"I was initially worried about the work-life balance when I first considered a career in consulting, but I was pleasantly surprised. Strategy& values and encourages a healthy work-life balance, allowing me to pursue my passions outside of work. For example, my team really supports me in going to different evening gym classes once I flag it in advance with them."
Luke has found his experience at Strategy& to be nothing short of positive. He encourages any student interested in a career in strategy consulting to consider applying for an internship or graduate position with Strategy&.
"The Summer Internship Programme is a great way to gain insight into the industry and see if it's the right fit for you. When I got the offer to return to Strategy& I was so excited and the security of having the offer meant I could focus on my classwork (and having fun) during my final year. I can honestly say that applying to the Summer Internship Programme was one of the best decisions I made at university. Saying that however, many of my peers who joined PwC through different routes have been able to settle in just as quickly, given the comprehensive training and support offered from day one."
