Summer Intern Review

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed my internship. Not only did I gain a greater insight into the accounting industry and audit processes, I got to know so many different people who I worked with and interacted with frequently, whether in person or online. Aside from work, the canteen food is good quality, the coffee machine is life and I have made both colleagues and good friends over the last 4 weeks.

I appreciated that I was a valued member of the team when my manager said she would like me on her team when I return next year for an industrial placement. So she clearly valued the contributions I made to the team. Additionally, towards the end of the 4 weeks, managers/seniors I had previously worked with would come back to me for work if I had done a good job previously meaning they felt I positively impacted their team.

Whilst at times you feel like you are thrown into the deep end and feel you do not have the guidance you need to do your job, you soon realise that if you want more guidance all you have to do is ask for it and you will get it in a way you understand. So whilst it isn't immediately obvious you have the support network around you from your team and seniors you soon learn it exists and can use it to enable you to do your work well and in an easier way.

At the beginning of the internship especially, it was a real struggle to obtain consistent work from my seniors. Even at the end of my internship I had to still ask almost every day for work so I did occasionally get bored trying to find things to do. This is likely because the summer internship is held during the quite season of the financial year. Once you have the work however you can be kept busy for half a day or more.

Although my tasks were sometimes basic, you still appreciated the fact that the work you were doing did have an actual impact on your team and the audit process. So for instance, identifying a small incorrect figure can lead to either yourself or your senior contacting the client for further information/clarification which will then result the wrong information being corrected, thus allowing the process to move forward.

During my internship I definitely developed a lot of skills such as collaboration and communication skills, Excel skills, networking skills and a greater ability to pay attention to detail. Moving forward in my degree and indeed in the accounting career path I would like to pursue, this will enable me to carry out my work quicker and to a higher quality as well.

The office is always buzzing with people engaging with one another from when you arrive till when you leave. Walking around you see lots of people smiling, laughing and working well together and the work place in general is generally quite a positive place as are the people who work here.

In general, the internship was organised well as we had a well organised induction day, everyone who needs to know which area you are working in and who your team members are and a lot of people are allocated to big clients where there is more to do. However, I would suggest in the future interns be allocated to clients and teams who are busy enough to give you work but quiet enough to be able to spend time talking through the work with you-I found that you often either didn't have enough work or your seniors were too busy to spend the time explaining things clearly the first time,

EY asks all interns to complete a series of web-based learning exercises which gives you a strong foundation as to your professional obligations to the firm and your clients, privacy protection information and information which will improve your well-being whilst working at the firm. At times you were also told why the work you are doing is important and how it ties in with the audit process. Overall therefore, my experience gave me a better idea of the working world and professionalism, as well as to the industry and thus I feel the firm invested in me my giving me such a great solid foundation to build up from.

Very! I have a 1 year industrial placement lined up with the firm as part of the scholarship programme I am on and I am looking forward to returning and reacquainting myself with my team and work. Given I would one day like to become a chartered accountant and I understand better how my experience with the firm will help me achieve that, I will likely continue to stay on with the firm beyond my placement year.

Absolutely! As well as being invited to our department's big boat party, I was able to attend and help organise social activities with some other interns and colleagues who I had met after work or at the weekend. They are often enough to give you something to look forward to every week but spaced out enough that you have time to do your own thing, focus on your work and relax in the evenings.

Really expensive but this being said I worked in Central London next to PwC with a view of Canary Wharf and other financial areas so it is expected. Rent similarly was expensive and adding to this the cost of transport makes the whole experience expensive. But it is worth is given I wanted the internship for the opportunity not for the money.

Central London is home to a variety of tourist areas and many pubs and bars. There is always a buzzy vibe no matter when you are here!

Other than social activities which you organised with your colleagues, not particularly as 4 weeks is not enough time to get your teeth into the different opportunities the firm offers. However you can use the time to find out about the opportunities and create opportunities for yourself in the future.