Placement Year Review at Ernst & Young

The Role

Role Description

Being the junior member of an audit team involving the auditing of financial accounts such as debtors, creditors, cash and fixed assets.

1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Although there was a lot to learn, working at Ernst & Young gave a lot of opportunities to try new activities and allowed the person to manage their work how they like, all in all they gave real responsibility during the placement year which was appreciated.

2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Within the group of industrial placement students, it did indeed feel like a family as we had all of the induction week and month of college together. This was helpful to have such a large and varied group of people to talk to throughout the year. Additionally the people in the office that I worked in were friendly however rather busy so it took a little longer to know and socialise with everyone.

3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

I had a buddy before starting who I could informally chat to with any worries about the placement, this calmed many nerves before it started. I received guidance from my manager in the form of setting out a plan for what I wanted to achieve during the year and there were regular meetings throughout the year to ensure that I was on track.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

Due to the nature of audit, it was very busy between January and Easter, this is called 'busy season'. During this part of the year there were long days and a high load of work to do, however it was appreciated by the firm of this so during the summer the high work level eased off and you were able to be more proactive in finding projects to do which was rewarding. Overall it was a very busy job with quite long hours and occasional working at weekends but it was appreciated and the way it was set up ensured that everyone was motivated and happy to help.

5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Straight from the start my opinion was valued and I was given projects on my own to do. Many times I was in charge of arranging meetings with clients and going over there by myself and reporting back my results.

6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

My skills improved greatly due to studying for professional exams during the time there. This has helped me alot as my degree is in accounting. Additionally training was provdided throughout the year at stages to ensure that no task was out of my depth and so I was prepared.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

The atmosphere in the office was quiet and people were very focused on their work. Audit means however that most of the time you would be out the main office on audit teams where the dynamic is much better with for example people bringing food in on different days.

8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

The internship was well organised with an induction week at the start for all the placement students all over the country. The placement had many levels of support who I could turn to if I found it tough (which were not needed!). There were many catch-up events throught the year and the placement team were always keen on how they could improve the experience for the next year.

9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

The time and money invested in the ICAS exams was high with over a month for studying. This was due to a high number of people been offered permanent positions with the firm after the placement year.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

• Flexi Time
• Sports and Social Club
• Subsidised/Company Gym
• National Travel
• Company Parties/Events
• Above 25 days holiday
• Working from home

11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

You needed to demonstrate that you could meet the high expectations of the firm to get offered a graduate position however the majority if not all the placement students got offered a position.

Other Information

12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Since we knew each other very well from college there were many nights out with fellow placement students in different cities. The graduate team also ensured that throughout the year there were a number of socials in London.

13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

The office I was in was Birmingham and so there were a multitude of bars to go to after work and at weekends. The cost was not that high compared with the salary earned and especially compared to the lack of money as a student!

14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

The nightlife in the centre of Birmingham was good however due to the nature of the job and the fact that an audit could be anywhere within quite a large radius of Birmingham, it would mostly be at the weekends or Friday nights when socialising would occur.

15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

The hours were long and unpredictable so it was difficult to join a club or a class on a set day without missing a few however there were many clubs with the main one in the Birmingham office being the Football Club.

In addition to these questions, is there any extra information you would like to leave about your experiences on your work placement that other students may be interested in?

Although during the middle of the year involved long hours and hard work, it was a great experience and was very happy to take up the job offer straight away and would recommend it to anyone as there was a strong people culture.

Review 242/284 for Ernst & Young

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