Business Placement Associate - Assurance Review

I really enjoyed my time at PwC, there is a huge variety of work offered and plenty of opportunities to develop and specialise in a specific area. Placement students are given the same responsibilities and treatment as graduate joiners and the training that is provided is of great help both in your time with the firm and when returning to university. I would highly recommend a placement year with PwC to anyone considering it and do not regret my decision to do so at all.

I felt very valued by my colleagues during my placement, there is a culture of recognising the achievements of staff and this is most obviously seen through the feedback and peer moderation process. This allows you to see how your peers see your work and where you can improve. This process also allows you to see how you compare to the work performed by your peers.

Management was always supportive throughout my placement, there was a clear structure of organisation that allows staff to feel comfortable and relaxed at work. There is plenty of support available to staff through both peer networks and the people manager system to all staff if they require it. There is always support from staff that are two or three years into employment and this can be invaluable when completing complex tasks.

The extent to which I was busy on a daily basis changed from month to month, depending on the line of service you work within will affect this. For the assurance line of service the months of Jan-Mar can be very busy and involve long hours, however, this is less demanding during the other months of the year.

From the start of working with clients placement students are given a large amount of responsibility, this only grows as your placement progresses. This allows you to feel that you are making a meaningful contribution to the work that is being performed and that you are an important part of a team.

I learnt a huge amount about my own personal skills during my time at PwC, most notably I was able to really grow my teamwork and relationship building skills, both through working with client staff and senior PwC staff. I feel that these skills will serve me well both in my degree and beyond. Also, I feel that the organisation and motivation that you must show at PwC will help me greatly in my university studies.

The general atmosphere in the PwC Bristol office is excellent, it was warm and friendly from the start and the staff were incredibly welcoming. I like that the office is open plan as it feels more open and allows you to work with your team easier. It is easy to speak to staff members throughout the office and other staff members will offer to help answer questions where possible.

The placement is incredibly well organised. It follows the same structure as the graduate scheme which allows you follow the same path as the graduates and to form working and personal relationships with them. There is support available through the initial weeks of the scheme. Each day of the scheme for the first few weeks is planned to a great level of detail allowing you to be aware of what will be expected of you each day.

There is a huge amount of training that PwC put you through to ensure you will be able to work efficiently when it comes to client work. This consists of training courses, training days and e-learns. Further to this PwC support you through the ACA qualification with the ICAEW in a number of lines of service that allow you to learn relevant skills to your job and gain a qualification.

PwC graduates in the Assurance line of service study for the ACA qualification with the ICAEW that opens plenty of opportunities both within and outside the firm. There are prospects to rise in the organisation while at lower ranks but this becomes increasingly difficult as the role becomes more senior. It appears most staff from the graduate scheme leave the firm soon after qualification of the ACA.

There is a great social scene amongst both placement students and the graduates. As both placement students and graduates follow the scheme for the duration of the placement year it is easy to form close personal relationships with members of your peer group. The firm helps facilitate these relationships and the social scene through drinks events and other social events.

The cost of living in Bristol is slightly higher than the national average. Rent is the main driver of this higher cost of living. Food and travel expenses are around the national average. The cost of eating out can be anywhere from £6 for a meal up to £40 per person. The cost of nightlife and bars is slightly higher than other cities excluding London.

PwC offers a large range of services outside of work both socially and through sports teams. There are PwC teams for sports such as football, hockey, netball, touch rugby and squash. Further to this, PwC offers staff social events that can include activities such as go-karting and mini-golf. Finally, there is often the chance to have drinks in the office at least once a month.