Risk (FS-BRC) Summer Intern Review

The first day of the summer internship involved an induction in a PwC office with the other summer interns where you would receive your PwC laptop, staff pass and take part in onboarding presented by HR. The rest of the week involved training in your line of service. We travelled to another location in London away from the office and met all the other interns working in the same line of service as you from the different regional offices. We also received training in our regional office later in the week to set us up for the following weeks. Weeks two and three involved working in the team that you were allocated to. For example, banking prudential, asset and wealth management etc. Depending on your team, you would either wok on one client or a few clients (I worked on four clients). Your responsibilities would involve attending client meetings, having coffee chats with members of your team and undertaking client work. Alongside this, you would take part in the Dragons Den Social Enterprise Challenge. Moreover, you would have regular catch ups with your career coach (line manager) and buddy. Week 4 involved sharing the feedback you collected from the people you worked with to your career coach. Your career coach would then make a decision about whether or not you receive a graduate job offer. Depending on your team, you may have to do a presentation in front of your team or otherwise continue with client work.

By attending the training in the first week, I have developed a more in-depth knowledge about what Risk is, what the different propositions within FS-BRC involve and what it means to be a PwC Professional. Taking part in the Dragons Den Social Enterprise Challenge has allowed me to demonstrate teamwork, leadership and presentations skills when working with the other interns from the various regional offices and lines of service. Having coffee charts with staff from various levels of seniority has allowed me to improve my confidence and communication skills. Undertaking client work has allowed me to further develop my research, analytical and technical skills. Receiving feedback has given me the opportunity to reflect on what I need to improve on once I start working as a graduate.

Yes, being given client work to do was a rewarding experience. It was interesting to see that work that was done for clients. At first, it was difficult to complete the tasks but as I was given more work to do, I became more confident when doing tasks and knew what was expected of me. Client work involved working on client presentations and creating spreadsheets. It was important to ask your team for feedback on work whilst in the process of doing it to ensure you were on the right track and make any changes of necessary before submitting it. Therefore, you were more likely to complete the work to a high standard.

Throughout the internship, we were given support by our buddy, career coach (line manager) and HR. My buddy messaged me often to check in with me and happy to answer any questions. We also caught up in person in the office when possible and went out for lunch together along with other members of team. Moreover, I had weekly meetings with my career coach where we discussed goals, my progress and the feedback that I gathered from those I worked with. HR ensured to send us weekly updates about the upcoming week and happy to answer any questions as well.

The company culture was very positive. One of the highlights was flexible working. We had the opportunity to work from home a few days per week if we wanted to and we could take advantage of the summer working hours on Friday! Also, I had the opportunity to go to a fine dining restaurant with my team in London and went out for lunch as well. Moreover, I had the opportunity to attend a Diversity and Inclusion Fireside talk where I listened to PwC employees discuss their backgrounds and journeys – it was very insightful.

Overall, I enjoyed the internship. I had the opportunity to expand my network by meeting with other summer interns (not just those in the same line of service and office as me) and employees from various levels of seniority. In addition, it was rewarding working with client, contributing to client work and having an insight into the work done within the Risk line of service. Furthermore, I enjoyed being part of the firm’s culture as it was a very positive atmosphere – everyone was very welcoming and happy to provide guidance/answer any questions.

Yes

For the application process, I would have a look at the website as there is lots of advice provided there. HR was also in contact throughout the recruitment process so I would reach out to them if you have any questions. Moreover, there were also virtual sessions held about application and interview advice which I attended as they were very informative, and you may have the opportunity to hear from students/graduates who have already been through the process. Advice for the internship – just be yourself! Make sure to stay engaged and inquisitive throughout.