Flexible Associate Review

This placement was an absolute shambles from start to finish, I can only give 2 stars based on the people I met on the scheme. To say that the placement was poorly organised would be a huge understatement. Those in charge of the scheme did not really seem to care about us at all and were more concerned with making themselves look good. If you are expecting to secure a job if you work hard and perform well you should think again. Employees on this scheme who work hard are not in any way prioritised or rewarded, which seems to be to be the most illogical way to run a business. The scheme is framed as something that will enhance your chances of getting onto a permanent grad scheme but it actually hindered these chances for a lot of people on the scheme as the recruitment team seemed to be very against Flexible Associates and would stick rigidly to the rules in terms of the process for staying at the firm (which is pretty ironic since they constantly pushed the need for us to be 'flexible'). Oh and sorry, 'Brexit' means you've got to go and work in Milton Keynes forever, bye! And don't get too excited about the idea of 'rotating around the firm,' 90% of us were in audit the entire time. Apparently we should have expected it. People in the firm even talk about FAs as just being a 'contingency workforce' to support audit through the busy season. To sum up, you are better off with no job at all than getting involved with this scheme.

The colleagues that I worked with on individual jobs were all very nice and supportive and made me feel like I was making a valuable contribution. Nobody ever treated me differently because I wasn't in their department on a permanent basis and I would always be integrated in terms of being invited out to socials and Christmas parties etc. Again, however, I did not feel valued by those running this scheme and didn't feel particularly important when I was constantly being referred to as a 'resource' who should basically be quiet and do what I'm told, because 'business needs' come first. This doesn't really make one feel like a valued human being.

We were all given a 'People Manager' who is supposed to support us and who we are supposed to be able to confide in, yet most of them were friends with those running the scheme and wouldn't have a bad word said against them. Your PM is supposed to be on your side but mine certainly wasn't, and basically dismissed any issues I had with the scheme and said that I didn't have to work here.

I was lucky in that I did not work on many jobs where I had to work overtime, but plenty of others on the scheme had to work crazy hours and not be rewarded for it. They firm have taken away overtime pay and will now give you 'time off in lieu', but only up to I think 5 days per quarter. This is insulting for those who worked 60 hour weeks for 3 months. Don't think about complaining about this either, apparently it's just part of the job.

On individual jobs that I worked on I was given a lot of responsibility which was nice and helped to counteract the other unpleasantness of the scheme. You do actually play quite a big part in completing work, especially if you work in a small team. You will talk directly to clients also.

You will study for the CFAB which is the first level of the ACA. This is an attractive part of the scheme, and will be useful if you continue on an ACA route in the firm which many people want to do. However, it was suggested to us that we could pay for the ACA ourselves if we wanted which was pretty insulting. The training you receive at the beginning before you are dumped in audit for 6 months is alright, you get free lunch and travel and it's a pretty chilled time. On the upside, the skills I learnt on jobs I worked on and from people I worked with were genuinely useful and I am thankful to them.

The offices were nice but they were a bit dull sometimes. You get free coffee which is probably a subtle way of saying 'you aren't going home at a reasonable hour today'. I also think that there is a huge problem of presenteeism in PwC offices - you are basically shunned and gawped at if you dare to work only your contracted hours, even if you have no work to do.

Apparently I can't give this 0 stars which is a shame as this scheme was so badly organised I'm surprised it managed to function. Previous reviews have said the same but that they gave feedback and they're sure it will have improved. It hasn't. We are encouraged to give feedback but then none of our concerns are ever brought up or addressed. I think the organisers are in denial about the problems with the scheme and think we are just being moany millennials. Other things that are odd about the scheme include the fact that you are technically part of the HR business unit, which is a bit insulting. Oh and you are not entitled to the 'Choices' perks that other graduates get (so no gym, extra holiday, health insurance etc.), you are given an old Partner's battered phone and are generally treated as though you aren't particularly important.

The firm invested a lot of time and money into all of us through training, exams, college etc. which was nice, but then they didn't seem to care if we didn't come back which seems pretty illogical. In terms of 'personal' development, there was none as this would not benefit the business.

Future employment prospects are appealing, but you have to jump through a lot of hoops to even get a shot at staying at the firm, so don't expect it to be easy. The firm have cut jobs hugely but will not admit it. It is strongly implied by the organisers on the scheme that you will have a future job at the firm if you work hard, pass your exams etc. but then later they will tell you that nothing in life is guaranteed, sorry.

Yes, the people on this scheme get quite close as there aren't that many of you (around 30) and you all tend to bond over how unhappy you are.

Well it is London so it was quite expensive as you'd expect, but you do get paid more than in the regions (probably why they want everyone to move out there). There are lots of pubs and bars around the offices so it is easy to blow of some steam after work. The canteens are supposedly subsidised but are often more expensive than the cafes and shops around the offices.

Pretty decent but it is London.

No.