Assurance Summer Intern Review

The intership has been an absolutely fantastic experience for me. I have always been set on a career on accountancy and I was actually very worried that it would not be everything I wanted it to be, but it truly has. The people at PwC are second-to-none, and really make you feel as though you are part of the team from day one.

I actually entered the office on my first day and was welcomed with a cake tasting challenge for which I was to be one of the judegs. As it turned out this was simply a freak coincidence and was nothing to do with my arrival - although it certainly made a good impression! In all seriousness though, everyone in the office took the time and effort to ensure that I was performing work that was both challenging yet achieveable. The entire office made an outstanding effort to include me in all aspects of the firm: much more so than on interships I have attended previously.

Those supervising me communicated their expectations very early on and made every effort to make sure I understood what exactly I was doing and the purpose behind the work I was conducting. If I ever had any questions they were always available and open to answer them. I found that there is a very strong, positive coaching culture; which is true across all levels of PwC. There were times when I walked into directors'offices and they dropped everything they were doing to speak to me. I think that is quite a rare thing to see in all honesty.

This is a busy line of work, there is no two ways about that. Having said that I never found the workload unmanageable, although it is something that takes time getting used to. Including travel, I was routinely away from where I was resident during the internship for around 11.5 hours a day, on average.

Much to my surprise the work I was performing was of a kind that would normally be completed by those who had been with the firm for 1-2 years. Even though there was limited formal training you pick things up very quickly whilst working on client engagements, so I never felt overwhelmed.

The skills I have gained from the internship are universal across all sectors. Communicating effectively, building strong relationships, understanding how a work environment functions, finding a positive work-life balance...I could go on. At the end of the day this is a programme that leads to a potential graduate offer, and they treat you in that capacity. This means that you will get a real insight into how the firm operates and whether it is right for you, as well as developing skills that are essential in any vocation.

The atmosphere around the office was positive, open, and relaxed to a certain extent. I expected everyone to be absolute stress-heads because the nature of the work they are doing, but I could not have been more wrong. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming which helped integrate me into the office and its people. I would often be chatting with those around me in the office while we were all working, which made everything all the more fun. It was quite simply a great place to work.

The internship itself was extremely well organised. All of our commitments and all of the information pertaining to us interns was communicated quickly and was reiterated often. I knew exactly where I was meant to be, what I needed when I got there, and what I would be doing after I arrived; for every single day of the internship. Also, the pre-employment checks were completed without the hassle that they normally are, which was a pleasant surprise. Although the schedule was set out clearly and promptly it did change because of changes in resourcing requirements. I don't believ that this impaired my experiences on the internship in any way, but it is something to expect if you join the programme.

I was, frankly, astonished by the amount of investment placed on us as interns. There was an extensive training period at a country resort, national (and international for some lucky interns) travel opportunities and a very competitive salary. The firm also made every effort to ensure that I was getting the as much as possible out of the internship and provide a real focus on my personal and professional development.

As mentioned previously, the internship has the potential to lead on to a graduate position that lasts for at least 3 years as you studying for your professional accountancy qualification. The retention rates are between 90%-95%, so if you are serious about a career with PwC they will reward you in the best way possible.

There were many opportunities for interns to get together between themselves and/or other members of staff, and this was encouraged by the firm. I actually worked with some of the interns on client engagements, which really added to the atmosphere. The only difficulty was that given the nature of assurance work people were often spread out all over the country, so it was a challenge to organise get-togethers at times.

I worked in South Wales during my internship, so the cost of living was relatively low for me.

The nightlife in South Wales isn't all that glamorous, but if that is what you are intersted in when you are on a placement as short as this one then it should be adequate for your needs.

There were many opportunities to engageme in social activiites outside of work, as mentioed previously. Also, as part of the internship there was an innovation challenge that is unique to PwC that provided a way for me to exercise creative thinking outside of my working day and allowed me to interact with the other interns in a dynamic environment.