Technology Degree Apprentice Review
at PwC
Degree Apprenticeship
Information Technology
Birmingham
Review Submitted: February 2023
Overall Rating
4.2 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
4.5/5
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Overview of Role
3/5
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Skills Development
4/5
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Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
4/5
I'm a 2nd year apprentice, so I am still attending university just like any other student would. So my day to day currently consists of going to lectures and enjoying the university social life! I don't have to complete any work for PwC until the summer placement.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
So far I have very much enjoyed my programme. Being able to go to university without having to worry about anything at work is a nice benefit that other degree apprenticeship programmes may not have. Also, during my first summer placement, I had the chance to travel to different PwC offices such as Manchester and London, while getting put in nice hotels and getting food expensed. What's not to like?
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
3/5
I've been studying towards my Azure Fundamentals certification in my free time, which the company is paying for.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
Our programme is very structured. There is a clear separation between work and university. We only have to do work related to PwC during the summer placement and our year long placement. In the interim, we study as university students just like anyone else.
While starting placement, we were also given a number of days to learn about how the company works and we had workshops on how the tools used within the company work.
While starting placement, we were also given a number of days to learn about how the company works and we had workshops on how the tools used within the company work.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
UoB has a new programme coordinator, Scarlett, who has been doing a fantastic job listening to our concerns and actively trying to improve our experience. She is very approachable and is always willing to go above and beyond to help us out with whatever concerns we may have.
The change to have a dedicated contact at each university instead of a central team was a very good decision as it allows there to be a much better relationship between students at the university and people from the programme team.
The change to have a dedicated contact at each university instead of a central team was a very good decision as it allows there to be a much better relationship between students at the university and people from the programme team.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
There is a good support network that exists at UoB. We have a few direct contacts that we can always go to if we are ever unsure. In particular, Vincent from UoB has been very helpful this year with organising calls to make sure everyone is on track. University staff have also been checking up on us when we miss lectures to ensure everyone's wellbeing.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
3/5
There is some relevance with what we are learning at university and what we do in our jobs. For example, last year we had an SQL module and a lot of people had to use SQL during their placement. However, there are also some modules which are outdated and no longer relevant to current industry practices.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
4/5
While on placement in the summer, we had the opportunity to join a number of different sport teams that play in the office. For example, there were sessions for football, rugby, cricket and many more. It is also easy to setup a sport that you think there would be an interest for. There were also quite a few socials during this time where we could network with other people in the office or members within our team.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend PwC to a friend?
Yes
Why?
It's a fantastic opportunity if you were ever considering to attend university to study anything technology related (e.g. computer science, data science etc). The benefits are great, you get paid far more than you would receive from Student Finance, your summer placements and a year long placement is sorted for you (no need to go through the stress of applying and interviewing at different company), and most importantly of all you get a graduate offer lined up for you.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to PwC?
Take your time to understand the values of PwC. Research into what it means to be a PwC professional. These are important values to show when you are being interviewed, especially at the assessment centre.
Most importantly, be a team player. The culture at PwC is very collaborative so if you are able to demonstrate this, it will put you in a good position.
Most importantly, be a team player. The culture at PwC is very collaborative so if you are able to demonstrate this, it will put you in a good position.
