Audit intern Review
at PwC
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Accounting
Cambridge
Review Submitted: March 2023
Overall Rating
4 /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!
3/5
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Overview of Role
4/5
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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:
3/5
This was a placement from November 2022 until the end of March 2023, this is part of a university placement while studying at Newcastle University, we have 3 placements for 2nd, 3rd and 4th years for a few months each year, this is to give us practical experience and to ensure we understand how the accountancy world operates. I believe the work can be rewarding other times it can be quite a slog.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
3/5
My experience of the learning has been very good, I am quite a stressful person and university has been amazing at helping me to do loads of work in order to calm down my stress and anxiety, I have worked very well independently and it has helped me to ensure I do not have issues with overthinking as I know I am trying my hardest to do the best work possible.
During my placements I found my first and second placement very enjoyable I had less responsibilities towards- coaching and therefore I only had my work to manage, during third placement I had the responsibility of managing a couple of people and my own workload,, therefore 3rd placement was more stressful and time consuming for me.
During my placements I found my first and second placement very enjoyable I had less responsibilities towards- coaching and therefore I only had my work to manage, during third placement I had the responsibility of managing a couple of people and my own workload,, therefore 3rd placement was more stressful and time consuming for me.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
During my 3 placements I have learned how to use excel I am now able to use excel to a high standard to ensure I can use technology to help make my work efficient and effective. I have also learned professional skills such as communicating with in charges, during my latter placements I also took on a coaching role and during these placements I learned how to be a good coach to more junior members of the team.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
The programme is very well structured there are 3 placements put in during second, third and fourth year to ensure that the knowledge learnt during university can be put into practise during these placements, these placements also get more advanced as you go through them from starting out as a complete newbie to getting the experience of coaching during the final placement -
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
The employer is very flexible and quite supportive, if you have problems the team will try their hardest to put support and appropriate provisions in place to ensure any issues can be resolved or managed in the best possible way. They are also very helpful and supportive with personal as well as any professional issues that may be encountered. This is very much dependant on teams and managers however and different teams will have different levels of support.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
There is a lot of support in place, so we are able to contact them whenever if we have any worries about the content or have personal issues, they will try help however they can. Any questions are responded to promptly and they will do their best to ensure that you are able to study and work in the best way possible. They will also try their best to ensure you understand the content and exam to ensure you are less stressed about taking the exam, as I worry quite a lot for exams even with a lot of revision therefore getting questioned answered really helps me to stop stressing.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
erm I believe the training provider has a focus on the education and the examination side rather than the practical side of accounting, however the modules are very much relevant as these help to learn what should happen and what the regulatory frameworks that accountants have to abide by. They do offer some practical advice as many of the individuals have been in practice for many years before teaching.
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
There is a social and wellbeing pillar, a diversity and inclusion pillar and a quality pillar, these all have roles available. The social pillar often organise events such as a football game, a games night, badminton games and bowling club once a month, some of these are self funded but very good fun, I would advise for new people to go to them to get to know others in the office in a chilled manner.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend PwC to a friend?
Yes
Why?
They are an amazing firm to start your career with you will get a lot of guidance and support. Ask any questions you can to ensure you learn from situations and to improve your future prospects career wise, this being said they have a higher turnover for those more senior as some people get bored of the repetitive nature of the work and the very long hours that auditors can often have to put in, this is as you get more senior though and isnt too much of a worry starting out.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to PwC?
I would give the advise of looking at the PwC website understanding what they would like from applicants, look at PwC's 5 professional behaviours and also make sure you have an idea of what is going on in the industry their is a lot going on. Many reviews due to audit failures and the FRC review audit files every year from each firm. Having the knowledge of will stand you in good steed going into the interview room
