Talent Academy (Student) Review

I really enjoyed the talent academy. Although it was only a two day residential training program I learnt so much about pwc. The days were well structured and provided the opportunity to meet new people, learn about the different lines of service as well as build on new skills such as presentation and communication.

From the moment I arrived to the moment I left, the staff were always on hand to help. They were friendly, approachable and inspiring which made me feel incredibly valued.

For every session, there was always a member of staff around who were willing to answer any questions. In fact we were encouraged to ask questions which shows how passionate staff are about what they do. In the final group debate session, we were given feedback on what we did well and some things we could improve on.

Individual employees from the lines of service we had applied for attended the talent academy to answer any specific questions we had relating to specific roles which made this an invaluable opportunity. We had the opportunity to participate in a debate which was presented to a panel of partners. This was a fantastic way to develop skills in research, communication and presentation, all of which will be no doubt helpful through out my degree and in my working life.

On the first day we were given a timetable of what we would be doing throughout our time at the talent academy. There were days when tasks would overrun, however equally there were times when tasks would finish early. There was a variety of activities including networking event, an icebreaker, elective sessions and a talk specific to the line of service we applied for,

There was a fantastic environment. Everyone was friendly, approachable and willing to help. The icebreaker was particularly enjoyable which no doubt contributed to helping all the talent academy attendee's to relax and enjoy themselves.

pwc invested a lot of time in personal training and development of each person who attended the academy. We were given numerous opportunities to develop a variety of transferable skills.

We were given the opportunity to attend an line of service briefing run by pwc employee's. This was a fantastic opportunity to learn about the type of work we would be doing on a day to day basis. Most of the staff running the session's had also completed the graduate program as pwc so it was great to be able to talk and ask questions about their personal experiences.

Through the academy and the activities planned, there was an emphasis on the companies culture. The partner welcoming briefing touched upon how pwc values it's employees and it's community. Talking to staff during the day and during the networking and dinner event gave a true insight into how happy and proud people are to be working at pwc. There was a true element of family.

Coming from a science background, I was worried that I would be at a disadvantage when applying for finance. Pwc highlighted that skills are just as important as knowledge of the field. They emphasised on the importance of diversity within a company. The talent academy has been an invaluable opportunity which has help me to decide that I will be pursuing a career in audit.

We were told that expenses upto £100 would be reimbursed. Forms were given on the first day.

Organisers of the talent academy had organised a networking event on the first evening followed by a dinner with managers and partners. During the different courses, the partners/managers were encouraged to move to different tables to talk to different students.

These events were fantastic. I usually hate going to networking events, but the staff were easy to talk to, friendly and willing to talk about life at pwc

No. Although I did find out that pwc cares very much about the community and has set up scheme to help the local community namely through reading programs with schools.

Definitely would recommend this insight program to anyone considering a career in finance. It has helped me to develop a range of skills, improved my employability and most importantly help me to determine my career path. Also has given me a chance to meet new people