Virtual Summer Intern Review

I enjoyed the virtual experience with EY as an alternative to the summer internship which was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. I felt the experience gave me an insight into EY as a company and the role that I will undertake next year as a graduate with the firm. I appreciate EY's efforts to adapt their internship to a virtual setting, rather than cancelling it completely. I enjoyed this insight and meeting others during the experience.

I felt very valued during this experience and felt that the student recruitment team at EY, as well as other staff members we encountered, treated us well and answered any questions we had. They were very knowledgeable and helpful with all of our queries. During the experience, I felt like a member of EY's team and experienced the sociable and friendly culture that the firm has. As an intern with little experience, I felt that the firm valued me.

During the experience, I received a large amount of support and guidance. The student recruitment team were always available to answer any questions and assist with any issues that I encountered. All issues were efficiently fixed and the team ensured we did not panic when these occurred. They also maintained good communication throughout the experience by emailing out the relevant links for each activity. In addition, the agenda was well structured and we received this in advance of each day from the EY team.

During this experience, I learned about assurance and how this service line of EY operates. As an accounting and finance student, I will use this in my last year of study and develop this before starting a graduate role with EY next year. I also improved presentation and communication skills through the week long case study which was a group activity relating to the audit of a retail client. This involved presenting to an EY partner and manager as part of a team.

The experience was very well structured, with clear time slots for each activity and generous breaks. Time management was good, as all activities stuck to the time limits and ensured we did not fall behind. Receiving the agenda for each day in advance was useful, as it allowed us to know what to expect each day and be aware of the structure in advance. The student recruitment team structured the time and variety of activities well.

The atmosphere was very good and friendly. I felt relaxed during the process and did not feel that the work was too taxing, however was difficult enough to keep me motivated and engaged. This balance created a working atmosphere without too much stress for the participants. Many EY employees we encountered commented on the 'people' aspect of EY as one of the key positive points about the firm, and this reflected in the atmosphere of the experience.

I have secured a full time role for EY for next year, after I have completed my final year of university. I felt that this experience gave me an insight into the company and what I should expect for this role next year. After meeting a range of people working in assurance, I have gained knowledge on their position in EY and heard about the opportunities available to a graduate. This has provided me with new information which will benefit me during the transition from university into EY.

Many of the EY employees commented on the culture of the firm being very friendly and sociable. This came across from all staff members that we encountered, and I felt like part of this culture and the EY team. I also enjoyed the insight into EY's diversity and inclusion initiatives and believe that this culture is very important to have in any firm. This shows that EY are a diverse firm who wish to create a culture where everyone is welcome and included.

I have secured a full time role for EY for next year, after I have completed my final year of university. I felt that this experience gave me an insight into the company and what I should expect for this role next year. After meeting a range of people working in assurance, I have gained knowledge on their position in EY and heard about the opportunities available to a graduate. This has provided me with new information which will benefit me during the transition from university into EY.

This was a one week paid experience as a virtual alternative to the six week summer internship programme. This was due to the covid 19 pandemic. There were no expenses to be reimbursed, as all participants and staff worked from home. However, when speaking to a recent graduate, we were informed that when the internship takes place physcially rather than virtually, all travel expenses etc are reimbursed. The wage for this experience is scaled down from an annual salary to one week.

At the moment due to coronavirus there are no social activities due to all staff working from home. However, the EY team ensured us that they usually have regular social events and enjoy meeting outside of the office. It was also highlighted that a large number of staff members are relatively young, therefore social events are common. It was also mentioned that new graduates usually have events to get to know each other, which is useful.

I would definitely recommend this experience to a friend, especially if they have an interest in EY or the assurance service line. I have enjoyed learning more about EY, the variety of roles they have and what is involved in each of these. Also, I have developed skills such as working in a team, communicating and presenting. I feel that these skills are transferable into any workplace and will benefit me in a number of settings.