Tax Summer Intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed the EY tax virtual experience. The most enjoyable aspect was completing the Tax case study as part of a team. It was a great way to get to know the individuals that I would be able to go on to work with at EY. It was enjoyable to interact with speakers and learn more about EY's culture. I would recommend the internship and think it is a great way to understand whether EY is right for you.

Being provided a mentor from within the Tax team made me feel valued. They gave up their time to help with the case study and provided insight into how we could complete the task. The panel Q&A session with senior tax managers also highlighted the effort that was put into making the summer interns feel valued. We could ask the questions that were most relevant for joining EY. I was even able to ask about salaries... a valuable oppurtunity.

As part of a team of 5 we mutually supported each other to complete the Tax Case study. We also had the help of a Tax graduate top answer our specific questions about Tax and to provide unique insight into the life of a graduate. In terms of support when making full use of the internship, the student recruitment team were extremely helpful at all times. With any technical difficulties or questions, they were always on hand and very approachable.

In terms of degree studies, the skill transfers are limited. This is because the primary skills that I took away relate to working as part of a time and delivering a team presentation. The week focused on these transferable skills rather than technical knowledge relating Tax. Having said that, the week has helped me understand where a career in Tax could take me and has allowed me to understand the areas I would like to work. I found the representatives of the International Tax and Transaction Services team particularly engaging and this will be an area of interest for me in future.

There was a clear agenda for each day and I largely knew what was required of me at all times. Inevitably, when working across MS Teams there were difficulties in relation to expressly communicating certain information, such as how the final presentation day would be run. Again, the student recruitment team were approachable and resolved any issues that we had. The structure of the experience also catered to balancing formal learning time, panel talks, and case study activities.

The atmosphere of the experience was positive, with both interns and EY staff eager to contribute and participate. The interactivity involving Menti.com was particularly useful in generating interest and allowing us to reflect on how we were feeling at different times. It was clear that all participants were motivated individuals and everyone was keen to learn more about EY, as well as contribute to group activities. It allowed me to gain insight into the welcoming atmosphere that I would hopefully be able to benefit from if I was lucky enough to enter the Grad scheme.

Over a one week virtual experience, the opportunity for formal skill development was limited. This said, EY took the opportunity to give us an insight into some basic skills that would be beneficial when working at EY. We were provided with a webinar on presentation skills, mindfulness, time organisation skills and working well as part of a High-Performance Team. These webinars provided insightful tips to improve skills across different projects and areas of future interest.

The internship presented us with an opportunity to interact with professionals from across each of the sub-service lines within tax. I found International Tax and Transaction Services particularly interesting, I also found the work being done in Indirect Tax in relation to Making Tax Digital engaging. These insights helped me understand what it would be like to work within an EY tax team, and the types of tasks that would suit my skillset. I also gained insight into EY's culture through the enthusiastic descriptions of the student recruitment team.

The content was extremely valuable in helping me start to visualise my future career path. Particularly beneficial was the professional skills and qualifications webinar which informed us of the training opportunities available once we have joined. We were informed of the transferability of these qualifications and the ability to use our experience within different EY sub-service lines to utilise different opportunities. The opportunity to gain secondments and work with international clients also helps me to understand the type of job role I would excel at in my future career.

We were informed about EY networks. These are social action groups that we can join to improve the culture and environments in which we work and EY operates. We also gained insight into EY's sporting societies and extra-curricular activities. Additionally, we were informed about the EY foundation's work with disadvantaged young people and the opportunity for EY employees to make a real difference to their lives. These are the kinds of opportunities that I would be sure to utilise if working at EY.