GPS Audit Intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my entire 6 weeks with EY. Whilst researching the company, their main ethos seems to be that they are all about people and people development, and I thought that that was just a marketing line - but it definitely isn't: every engagement I was on and person I worked with knows how important it is and I could tell it was true and not just a line that was drilled into them to tell me. From their support systems, to how they recruit and promote to their normal interactions, they are all about the people and this made me feel so supported and confident. The work I was completing was challenging, however very intellectually stimulating. The internship is what you make of it - if you're given an opportunity (e.g. to shadow a partner or sit in on a conference call) -take it! I especially enjoyed my away jobs - these are ones where the client site is sufficiently far that the company will pay for you to stay in a hotel and then also give you money to go out for dinner each night that you're away, and they are very generous with the amount! This was one of my favourite and most enjoyable parts of the internship.

I was assigned to 6 different clients during my internship, one each week. As the week progressed (and the internship did) and I felt a lot more comfortable with the work I was completing and knew what to do, I felt like a real part of the team and that I was progressing the audit and not just being their for the sake of being there. The work you complete is part of the actual audit and work that first year graduates complete, so I did feel like I added value and the team was happy for me to be there. At the end of each engagement, you're recommended to ask for feedback (for personal development and also feeds into the job offer at the end or promotions when you're in the company). Each exec that gave me feedback said that they were very happy to have me on their team and would work with me again (this is feedback that goes to my supporter so they can be as honest as they want). How valued you are depends on what work you put in. If you take the opportunities that EY offers, you will be valued and feel like you are contributing.

I was assigned a supporter (counsellor) and a buddy (a first year grad), both of which were available for me to ask questions or speak to at any point. I had 3 counsellor meetings in the internship to set goals and see how I'm doing and how I'm finding it so far, which helped me think of opportunities I could take and for them to provide feedback on the feedback they'd received, as well as for me to provide feedback on the program so far. I also had a conference call with someone from the student recruitment team, and a meeting with the exec on each client. I probably sound like I've been asked to say this, but I haven't: the company ethos that they are all about people and people development that you will find out when you research the internship and company is completely true - they are investing in you and want you to be happy and succeed. Whenever I was stuck or had a question, anyone I asked was willing to stop what they are doing or schedule me in to explain things or help me. I met a graduate at the induction in London who had done the internship in Southampton, and out of the blue one day he emailed to see how I was doing and if I had any questions, then offered a phone call for me to ask questions about his new service line.

There was some variety in my work load, due to the different clients and at what point in the audit they were at, however I only ever once didn't have something I could be getting on with - and that was on my second day when I hadn't started on a client yet - so did some online learning sessions. Whilst on client sites there was always work I could be doing, I just had to ask, and if I was in the office and didn't have anything to do, people appreciated me asking if they had anything I could be helping with. In the internship, your workload is a lot your own responsibility - although your manager and lead exec will make sure not to pile on too much work, once you're finished you should ask for more. My feedback from my lead execs to my supporter was that I completed a lot more work than expected of me.

Even from the first week, I was given tasks usually completed by the first year graduates on actual client audits. I joined whilst the service line was in it's busy season, so it did feel like it was "all hands to the deck" and I was actively contributing to the audit, especially during the second half of the program where I had my own tasks and accounts to audit and needed less support. Although there was a huge amount of responsibility, everyone I encountered was willing to help me, run me through how to do things and answer even my most basic questions. I did not feel like I was a burden to the team or doing jobs for the sake of jobs, and never even got near to jobs like photocopying! At the end of my internship I was offered to stay on for a few more weeks until I went back to university, although I couldn't as I have another job and couldn't find cover for it, that was testament to the fact that if you put the work in and show you are willing to learn and adapt, they are willing to give you a lot more responsibility.

It's hard to say at this point, as I've only just finished my studies, however I feel a lot more confident in the work environment (even though I've worked in jobs nearly constantly alongside my studies since leaving high school). In University I completed an introduction to accountancy module in my second year, and after just six weeks of this internship already know more than I did through that module - and that's only by doing tasks, not through extra learning. I know that having completed this internship with one of the Big Four and having such good feedback, it will definitely give me an advantage over other applicants.

This is difficult as in the six weeks, I actually only spent about 5 days in the EY office because I was out on client engagements in client sites so often. This is typical of audit in their busy season, and my days in the office were mostly just related to admin to do with the scheme and twice for client work. Whilst I was in the office I really enjoyed it. The Southampton office, like many EY offices has hotdesking - so you could be sat next to a partner or graduate or whoever. I tended to sit with people on the grad scheme/school leaver scheme. The office has a coffee machine (free and actually decent) and a cheap vending machine, as well as a water dispenser. It is extremely clean and everything is to a high standard. It's not got the "wow factor" of the big London offices, but is a nice regional office. Everyone is very friendly and whilst I was in the office, people would come up and chat to me and ask me how I'm doing or what I was working on. I felt very welcomed. Although I was on client site most of the time, I was still invited to social events such as mini-gold, lunch out and drinks on Friday. This made me feel very welcomed and allowed me to speak to people on a personal level.

I felt like this was a very well organised scheme, from the recruitment to the last day. There was always someone I could contact and even at the recruitment level my feedback and results were very quick to come back. The assessment centre is held in the Canary Wharf office, and a hotel and transport is reimbursed (throughout the whole scheme) and then for me the partner interview was the next day in the regional office. This did mean that after the assessment centre I had to wait around in London to know whether I got onto the partner interview or not (so as to know whether to travel down to Southampton or back up to York), however it only took a few hours - I spoke to someone from recruitment and they sped it up. I heard back from the partner on the train back from the interview that evening. For the induction on the first day (the London office), they paid for a hotel the night before (Canary Wharf Hilton) and organised a (free) dinner for those staying over to get to know each other. The induction itself was very well organised and mixed, with presentations, and IT induction and partner speeches as well as plenty of opportunity to socialise. There was always extra things to get involved with - such as lunch & learn sessions, a social media competition,for London offices - partner lunches and regular emails, as well as the student recruitment team always being contactable. The only downside I could think of is that as I applied quite late I was on the second, smaller intake - which meant that I was the only intern in the Southampton office. This meant that I didn't really have anyone local who I could talk to about how things were going or compare notes with, wheras there were four on the first intake. It wasn't a big issue as I was on client site the majority of the time and wouldn't have been working with them anyway, and the central team did get us to socialise on the induction with other interns from other officer. In summary and after speaking to friends on other internships, I feel like EY goes the extra mile in their internship - from the pay & expenses, to the induction and recruitment, the support, the work you complete and the extras (an EY hoody, water bottle, free gift at the end and lots of goodies).

On each client engagement, I requested feedback from the lead exec (this is an encouraged practice) so I could see what I was doing well and what I was working on. Everyone was very happy to give feedback and my supporter ran through this with me regularly. I was given some online learning that would benefit my six weeks and help me on client work, which did actually help a lot. The company obviously spends a LOT of money on their internship programs (recruitment, induction, food, pay, travel expenses etc.) and I now understand that this has two parts: firstly they want to invest in their interns to make them want to come back to the company and stay there (if it's right for them and they show themselves to be capable) and secondly because (especially for audit) we are actually completing actual client work that contributes to the audit. If they didn't invest in our training and development and make us capable of doing the work, it would be counterproductive to the audit and not benefit the company. At the same time, they understand that you're an intern and don't have that knowledge so aren't pushy and are very very happy to provide you extra help and support. This internship works both ways - it's about us getting experience in EY and seeing if it's right for us, and about EY seeing if we are right for them.

From speaking to different people in the firm (graduates to a partner), I know that opportunities are out there to progress and climb - it's about taking them. Especially with GPS Audit which is quite new and with a lot of staff who have come over from the audit commission, there will be opportunities to climb and progress quickly if I put the work in. There are young school leavers/graduates who are lead executives on audits and running them on a day to day basis, as well as a huge amount of opportunities for secondments or transfers to different teams. I feel like if I go onto the graduate scheme, if I put in the work I would be able to climb and be promoted. With EY's size, promotions are not just available when someone vacates a role.

I was the only intern on my intake in my office, however the graduates and school leavers welcomed me and invited me to events (especially my 'buddy') and there are regular emails that go round with invites to drinks or lunch. For bigger offices such as London and Manchester, and especially on the first intake I know that the interns did socialise and go out together, however this is less so at smaller regional office. Also the London office holds regular social things in lunchtime. As I was also on client site, when I finished I would have to travel back home so it was sometimes late when I got in so I didn't have a lot of time to socialise or go out. In the induction, the central team tried to push a lot of social interaction between interns: organising and paying for a meal for those staying over, pushing social media interaction and setting space in the days for socialising.

Being from the North, I found Southampton to be a bit pricey. Pints of cider put me back about £4-£5. It's not London prices, but not the North. I found a temporary student accommodation for £110 a week, which is okay and the price of food from supermarkets is completely fine. The internship pays enough for you to afford it and have money to spare and the company reimburses for travel.

I only went out on the Night once and that was enjoyable. There are a handful of clubs and many bars and pubs. It's not Manchester or London level, and as it was the summer holidays there weren't many students around however.

There were a few social activities organised however as I joined in busy season there were less so than normal. It seems that bigger offices do have more opportunities, however there was sufficient stuff going on for me to keep entertained. There was also a social media competition from the company to get involved with. Southampton has quite a bit to do - museums, shopping, pubs, walks, trips to the Isle of Wight/Bournemouth/Brighton etc.