Spring into Deloitte Review

Spring into Deloitte provided a comprehensive insight into the Tax Consulting, Risk Advisory and Audit service lines. Through various presentations from Deloitte employees, case study exercises and general business sessions, the programme provided an outstanding opportunity to develop an understanding of the work conducted by Deloitte on a daily basis, the types of clients you would be supporting and why Deloitte is one of the most successful professional services firms globally. I found this to be an extremely informative and enjoyable insight that has certainly motivated me to pursue a career with Deloitte in the future.

The supportive and encouraging nature of the Deloitte culture became apparent from the beginning of the Spring internship. Every Deloitte employee that I met appeared interested in my career aspiration as well as keen to share their personal experiences. The first session on Day 1 was delivered by an external speaker focussing on how to present yourself in a business environment - something which is crucial when it comes to applying for Internships and graduate positions in the future. I feel that this demonstrates the value Deloitte places in their spring Interns.

As mentioned, the programme of events consisted of service line presentations, business games, case study exercises and networking opportunities. All of these individual opportunities provided insights into the various practice areas, the opportunities on offer at Deloitte and how to prepare for interviews and assessment centres. I thought there was excellent guidance and support provided particularly with each case study as we were working alongside Deloitte employees who were able to assist in the tasks. The graduate recruitment team were also approachable and happy to assist with any questions.

The general programme of events definitely developed numerical, analytical and presentation skills which are invaluable at university and in future careers. However, the focus was very much on Deloitte and the work Deloitte conducts which is not necessarily related to your university studies. It was useful however in allowing me to make more informed decisions regarding future career opportunities and how to approach interview and case study exercises.

We were provided with an information pack on Day 1 which contained all of the resources for the activities we would be conducting over the course of the programme. It also contained a programme of events which was really valuable as we could see what we would be doing and when. Each activity was well structured and informative with a balance between presentations, team projects and presentations. I felt there was a really good balance between all of the different activities. Furthermore, there was very little idle time which ensured everybody remained engaged for the entire duration of the insight.

The atmosphere of Spring into Deloitte was excellent. Everybody was really supportive and motivated to do well. The initial ice breaker activities allowed all of the interns to get to know one another and broke down any initial barriers, which means that over the course of the programme you were able to build strong relationships with other interns from various universities and backgrounds. There was a generally relaxed atmosphere which I felt allowed people to enjoy the experience. The evening networking event was also very nice in allowing communication between Deloitte employees and the interns in a more social setting.

I felt very valued throughout the programme in terms of the opportunities they had organised for us in the programme of events. They had invested in anew external business coach to address the group and focustomer on making an impact in business - I got a lot out of this session. Furthermore, there was excellent resources provided along with enjoyable business exercises. The range of skills that the tasks focused on provided opportunity to develop many different business attributes.

The presentations and service line activities provided a good basic understanding of the type of work that you would be required to complete if you were to work for Deloitte in a full time role. Although the tasks were fictional and simplified for the purpose of the internship, they did allow you to get a good feeling for the various roles. However, both the financial advisory and consultancy service lines were not covered in this programme, so if one was to apply for one of those in the future, the spring insight didn't provide much information about this.

Hearing from recent graduates right through to partners, I was able to gain a real appreciation of the culture at Deloitte. There is a strong commitment to outstanding work, but this is seemingly achieved in a very supportive and flexible environment. Everyone appeared very passionate about their work and keen to assist other, like the spring Interns, to progress also. However, obviously this event took place in the Edinburgh office (regional) so whether the culture is exactly the same as in, for example, the London office is still unknown.

As mentioned, the events of the programme focused on risk advisory, audit and tax consulting. In terms of these three service lines, we were provided with a comprehensive insight. There was also lots of general careers advice in terms of presenting yourself in business, interviews and case studies. Furthermore, there was lots of information provided about the various professional qualifications that Deloitte employees achieve and the various paths these can lead to. It has provided me with a good idea of what it would be like to work in professional services and specifically at Deloitte.

Travel expenses were covered up to the value of £50. There was no pay for the internship, however, we were provided with excellent accommodation in an Edinburgh hotel on the Thursday evening. There was also a networking dinner organised on the Thursday evening with all costs covered by Deloitte.

There was various opportunity throughout the two days to communicate and interact not only with fellow interns but also with Deloitte employees. However, the main opportunity was at a networking dinner on the Thursday evening. Each table was allocated a Deloitte employees which provided a good opportunity to ask more questions and insight into Deloitte. The social setting allowed everyone to interact with one another which was very enjoyable.

This was not included in the timetable of events over the Spring internship programme. I would have liked to have found out more about these opportunities as again this is valuable in assessing the culture and atmosphere around the firm. I did however ask some of the employees over networking about their opportunities outside of work which gave me some insight into the sports and social opportunities.

Spring into Deloitte is an excellent opportunity for anybody that is considering a career in professional services. The two-day programme is extremely well organised, providing a great insight into the opportunities available at Deloitte. There was a great balance between the activities and there was adequate time to network and ask questions. I have been inspired by the events of the two-day programme and would definitely be interested to pursue a career with Deloitte in the future. I would definitely recommend Deloitte and the Spring Internship.