Assurance Intern Review

The work placement was on the whole an enjoyable experience. PwC is a company full of engaging people who make interns feel welcome and appreciate their input. This makes the experience more valuable as you are trusted to carry out real work which accelerates the learning process. There is ample opportunity to demonstrate and improve good relationship skills which is one of the better aspects of an internship.

PwC is a company that puts a strong focus on its people and this is evident throughout the firm. As an intern you naturally need people to be on hand to answer your questions and over the course of six weeks this rarely felt like a hindrance and more over was encouraged from most team members. Colleagues with different levels of seniority were always happy to give formal feedback which is a consistent, fair reflection on performance.

Each intern is assigned a career coach (manager) but also a more informal buddy. Both of these people are very useful and can help with any issues encountered in the internship. Regular meetings are scheduled with career coaches to talk about on the job performance and your buddy is always on hand to help with more human aspects of the job.

How busy you are is purely based on the client that you are booked to. When you work on site you are generally more busy than when in the office and have a consistent flow of work. More generally there is personal responsibility to ensure that work is completed promptly and that you are always eager to help colleagues with more work. There will usually be someone in the office who can use an extra pair of hands.

From a personal point of you, the internship has enabled me to develop and become more confident building relationships in the professional environment - which will be useful in any future career. The internship also serves as a headstart to anyone who wishes to go into auditing and you are able to gain a familiarity with the processes by which PwC work.

Coming into the internship I was initially anxious about how I might fit in to a 'big 4' firm. However these fears quickly disappeared during the local induction. The office is relaxed but also matured and professional. I like how it is structured around 'hot desks' and different work spaces which helps interns interact with other colleagues. The firm also employs a 'dress for your day' policy which leaves clothing decisions up to individuals so they feel most comfortable.

If you want a career at PwC then the 6 week internship is the best preparation and way to get a foot in the door. If your manager is happy with your performance then it is likely you will receive a graduate job offer upon leaving. There is also opportunity to transfer/re-apply to another line of service as I will be doing.

The internship starts with a 3 night residential induction with all interns nationally. This is a great opportunity to network with other interns in different offices but also strike up friendships with people form your own office. As an intake group we get on very well and enjoy drinks after work quite regularly.

Leeds has fantastic nightlife. As a student myself I know many of the best places to go and have enjoyed taking other interns to places they may otherwise have missed. There is something for everyone however I'd recommend a city rooftop bar or venture into Hyde Park to Hyde Park Picture House.