EY Leadership Academy Review

I thought this was a truly insightful few days and I honestly have learnt so much about both myself and others in my team. The atmosphere was very well created in that there was definite hard work to be done and a lot to learn, but in a really enlightening environment where there was no pressure to be someone you're not.

I felt very valued as an individual on this course; the regular feedback was so helpful and I constantly felt that I had things to work on and improve. The feedback was well structured in this sense as in not determining "weaknesses" there was constantly a positive atmosphere of how to improve on our strengths, rather than dwell on weaknesses.

I felt that we had such a good amount of support throughout; from our peers, because of the atmosphere of trust that was created by the general feel of the course, the EY staff and in particular Georgina. Her feedback was very well-structured, with clear points to work on, whilst never coming across in a patronising or non-sensitive manner. I felt that she was very open for people to come and ask her questions; I never felt that I couldn't ask her about something or question what she was saying, for clarification.

I definitely learnt a lot about myself and have clarified points that I need to work on in the future. I will be able to use the skills that I have developed here within my uni life, for example when working as part of a group I feel that I will be more perceptive to others and thus will be able to be more of an asset to the team, whether leading it or in being apart of it.

Well structured; we were always introduced to new tasks in an original way to keep us engaged. The feedback was good, although sometimes in the afternoon I think that we spent too long analysing one another when in fact not that much had actually changed. For example on the penultimate afternoon I didn't think that we needed this much time as we had analysed one another and given a lot of constructive feedback the previous day.

It was a really trusting atmosphere which meant that people had the confidence to express themselves and open up, knowing that they wouldn't be judged for their stories or opinions which I think is a very valuable asset of the programme. Also, the size of the group allowed for us to get to know a wide range of people. Mixing groups on the last day also showed that the atmosphere emanated well throughout, rather than just in our smaller groups. The atmosphere in the evenings was good fun - a nice contrast from the intensity of the days. This was particularly shown through the interaction of the mentors and the organisation of the drumming event!

There was a real focus on the focus of us as individuals and part of a team which I thought was very helpful in recognising different elements of our character and how to utilise our strengths. I feel that I learnt a lot about myself and how others perceive me, which inevitably is as a result of their focus on personal development, aided by the in-depth feedback sessions every day.

I definitely felt that I got a good feel for the atmosphere at EY and now have a better insight into the different service lines on offer. The facilitators seemed to be very honest about their jobs and thus I grasped much more about what the day-to-day work is of the firm.

The academy seemed to really evoke a sense of the EY culture in that the representatives were very genuine and were very interested in our development throughout the programme. There was a nice atmosphere or trust which I can imagine is the same throughout the company.

I definitely have a clearer view of what it would be like to work at EY and a sense of how my personality would be compatible with the company culture. In terms of the next steps for a career in EY it was clear by the end of the programme, but there was an element of confusion before the final day so I think it could have been helpful to know about what EY was offering at the end of the Programme or the next steps we could take. Having the Partner come and talk to us at dinner was invaluable, as her insight into the company and advice to us was very appropriate and I felt that she managed to connect with us and impart good advice.

My train was reimbursed which I think is a nice touch, as they didn't need to do this.

Through spending a lot of time with our facilitators, I felt that I could ask Georgina about all the different aspects of her job, and although there were chances to speak to the other facilitators, I think it could have been useful to have a rotation for an hour on one day perhaps in order to have question and answer with them and therefore find out more specifically, in an arranged environment, more about the different service lines etc. The partner dinner was a great way to meet an even wider range of employees too.

The evenings were well-organised and good fun after the intense days. This was good to get to know people from outside of our groups as well as the employees in a different environment. The drums was a really good activity; very inclusive and good to something new and different!

I heard about general hobbies, but not actually activities offered through EY.

I would definitely recommend this for a friend. I felt that EY struck a really good balance between having a challenging course but we were continuously learning so much about ourselves, that it would be invaluable for anyone at our stage in university. The place was perfect for the event and I felt that they did a really good job in all aspects of the course.