Business Placement Review

Doing a placement was definitely one of the best decisions I have ever made! Being in the large multinational corporate environment was always exciting and challenging. No two days were ever the same.

Although being the most junior member of the team, you are given responsibility from the word go. As you are placed in the graduate intake, being a placement student is no different from a graduate. Every piece of work that you do ultimately helps to make the decision of what audit opinion a partner will sign off on. Throughout the year, the difficulty of the work given to you is increased which keeps things interesting.

The level of supervision at PwC is amazing. Every team is made up of many levels of seniority. There is always a senior above you who will coach you through any work and review it afterwards. One of the best things was the feedback you received which helps you to grow over the year.

No day is ever the same in assurance, although for the majority of the year you will be working a normal 9-5 schedule. Taking the ACA qualification however, does at times keeps you very busy. However you are given great support and spend multiple weeks in college in the run up to the exams. All staff are also very understanding in getting you home at a reasonable hour to study after work. The busiest periods of the year is between January and April. Although you may be working longer than usual hours, it is exciting as this is when the nitty gritty audit work is completed. Although it is busy the days pass quickly as you always have something to be getting along with. After you have finished a busy audit you get a real sense of achievement.

As you are pooled with and classified as the same grade as a graduate employee, responsibility is high from the beginning. Most of the work you will complete is vital for senior members of staff to make opinions on clients. Therefore no work done ever feels like it is not worthwhile.

Over the course of the placement you undertake internal training of soft skills, which have made me far more confident than before joining the firm. As you are in teams with all levels of seniority you get used to speaking to directors and partners also. While on client site you meet and question high level members of organisations which has also increased my confidence skills. This I can take forward in my social and work life for the future. Completing multiple professional qualification exams will aid you in your final university skills also. Being forced to focused on working and studying at the same time will feed into your final year and make achieving that desired grade easier.

Being in the London office was extremely exciting. There was a constant buzz around the office all the time. Around festive times as well the place lit up, and everyone would get into the spirit. - The Christmas Party is amazing!

Being part of the graduate intake is great fun as you are pooled with all the graduates as well. It means you have a large social and friendship group to go thorough the tough and exciting times with - It feels like being a fresher again!

You spend a couple of months a year in college and studying from home for your professional ACA qualification. PwC always is there to help and guide you so that you can pass these exams first time round. In addition to the qualification there is also internal training that will take up a few weeks of the year, where you get to grips with the business and are taught soft skills. There are always courses running throughout the year which you are encouraged to attend if they take your fancy. It always feels like the firm is trying to make you the best employee you can be.

I was awarded the graduate job at the end of the placement which is great for my final year of university. As long as you are hard-working and dedicated throughout the year then you should be awarded the job. Being able to go back as a second year graduate is definitely a benefit itself, and makes it worthwhile not searching for other jobs.

Within your office there is social teams. These meet every few weeks/months for meeting, sports, drinks and parties. You are provided with a people manage from your social team who is always on hand should you have any issues. Likewise being part of the graduate intake means you are with a massive intake of between 50-100 people. This feels like being a fresher again. Within your intake there will be football and sports to get involved with as well as going to the pub after work. It is nice to have a group to share the fun and tough times with. In addition to the above you will socialise with your teams. These nights can range from meals to activities to drinks. It is always nice when the Partner of Director joins and everybody gets involved with the fun.

Living and working in London is obviously expensive. Thankfully my family live in Surrey so it was just a short commute into work.

Being in central London the nightlife is amazing. There are so many pubs and clubs to go to that there is always something new to try. You will probably end up finding the cheaper local to go to and your intake will make this their second home!

PwC always offered sports and charity programmes to get involved with. There was a day of the year where every member of staff has to work for charity for the day. This was fun to do something different and great to have a sense of helping others less fortunate.