Assurance Summer Intern Review

I really enjoyed the virtual experience. It was pretty seamless with transitioning between calls and seminars although there were a couple of technology issues (not there fault though!). It was made to be as interactive as possible which was great although I would welcome an increase as this was the most interesting bit with the inability to complete the internship face to face in the current climate. This programme exceeded expectations and was thoroughly enjoyable.

I felt thoroughly valued throughout this virtual experience even though face to face interaction is more difficult at the moment. This was especially noticeable with the ability to talk to senior members and partners and at all times they were extremely friendly, engaged and happy to answer any questions. The fact the company put together this experience with the current circumstances made you feel valued from the beginning and the recruitment team were happy to help with any issues throughout. It is however, more difficult to feel valued with a virtual experience as you feel like you can't give as much back as you would like.

Guidance and support was fantastic throughout the experience. From day one links required for the day were sent out via email and extremely easy to use, with any issues sorted by the recruitment team. Support from staff members was also given in the form of a mentor that joined a few group calls to aid in the group project we were working on. This was extremely beneficial and a welcome surprise. Buddys were also available for Q&A and all speakers were happy for you to contact them if you had any further questions.

My degree is extremely different (engineering) but it was pleasantly surprising to learn how many skills can be transferred and developed. Seminars we received included presentation skills and highest performing team working - something that will be hugely beneficial when carrying on to complete my masters. Furthermore these are life skills that will only aid you in the future and will not set you back. They were also throughly engaging conversations that could be applied to multiple scenarios.

Overall the agendas put together for day-to-day were seamless with such engaging content scheduled throughout. Time for short breaks and lunch were scheduled in but your day was kept busy in a good way! The only downside slightly may be the technology (hence the score) as it did make entering meetings sometimes quite lengthy, however not sure if this is something they could change easily. Having said that, most links to meetings were easy to use and worked so that was a positive.

The general atmosphere was great and that was particularly prominent for me after leaving a meeting with my allocated team. I met such great people and was extremely lucky with the members. Having this social interaction definitely lifted spirits as although a key part of the process and a great learning experience, it is nice to break up the day of seminars/ presentations. The atmosphere was also enhanced by all guest speakers and members of the recruitment team that were consistently enthusiastic and engaging.

For learning and development interests there were multiple skill sessions held with guest speakers from within the company. This was great for personal development and skills that can be used in the future, applied to multiple situations. Themes included presentation skills and best team working all of which were highly interesting and thought provoking. It is difficult virtually for them to have done much more and I am unsure how this would differ had the experience gone ahead as originally planned.

The virtual experience did give a great insight into the people that work at EY which has proven to be such an important part. The case study was also great at trying to give us a better understanding of what we would be doing day to day, however I still feel that I have missed out on an opportunity to get stuck in and really have a go at would we would be doing in real life. Overall they did the best they could though to portray this virtually.

Extremely helpful. There was plenty of talks given on the company including insights into their diversity networks, health and wellbeing at EY, values of the company, mindfulness etc. These were all beneficial in getting a better understanding of the company and was enhanced by the network panel sessions and the welcoming nature of all colleagues to answer questions and help wherever possible. It has reinstated my positive thoughts on the company culture at EY where it revolves around the people.

This is a very personal response due to the fact that I had never considered a career in this area prior to a year ago. Therefore, as mentioned previously, I was really looking forward to, and would have benefited massively from, the normal in-person 6 week experience where it is easier to determine what you would be doing daily. However, I do feel like I have got a better understanding of potential work involved and am more enthusiastic in a future in this area.

Yes - there were plenty of opportunities to engage and connect with employees. The network panel session alone had around 6 employees from different location that answered any questions we threw at them. Alongside this there was a buddy Q&A where a member of the team we would have been joining allowed us to ask any questions we had potentially more specific to location and this was the same as the mentor we were allocated. Finally, every guest speaker was open to you getting in touch later on.

They were very good however there could have been more but this is down to personal preference as it is what I found the most interesting and exciting part. As previously mentioned there was a specific networking session with a group panel where it was nice to be introduced across video chat. Social wise it was great that we were allocated specific teams that we reconnected with each day. This really helped to replicated the situation had we have been in the office.

Yep - there are loads of opportunities you can get involved with. This includes the important network of communities they have at EY where you can find like-minded people. These seem to all have lots of events going on. Furthermore, we heard about the EY Foundation that is a charity aimed at encouraging students from unprivileged backgrounds into the world of work and even guiding them through uni and work experience. Volunteering seems to be something that is seen in an extremely positive way at EY which is great with days off allocated specifically to this.

Absolutely I would recommend this experience to a friend. It was full of learning but also had a lot of fun, interactive elements wherever possible. For a week there was a lot crammed in which made the use of your time as beneficial for you as possible. The learning was also hugely engaging and applicable to many aspects of life as well as some specific sessions dedicated to learning more about EY - great if you are interested in the company at all.