Assurance Associate Review

by PwC

Best Student Employer

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

3.5/5
  • The Role
    3.8
  • The Company
    3.6
  • The Culture
    2.9

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
  • I loved how much I learnt during PwC, especially since I had no previous knowledge in this area. It is really great to look back and see how much I grew and learnt. I did, however, struggle under the sometimes pressurised environment which meant that I often did not enjoy the work as much as I would have otherwise done.

    4/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
  • Team work is really important at PwC and when you try to help out others in the team it is always appreciated. This is communicated to you in person and in written feedback. It is encouraged to get feedback on every job/project you were on that lasts more than 2 weeks so that you can continue to grow.

    5/5

  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
  • My people manager was always someone I could email (or instant message) when I had questions. We had meetings through out the year and he was very helpful with my university work. Generally supervisors were really great to work with because they have normally started at the same point so know what it is like and what you are likely to struggle with.

    5/5

  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
  • At this level you are normally working on jobs at their busiest points which meant that I was usually very busy. So this meant that there was often time pressure on jobs. However this was balanced with days at the office which were slower, stock counts and days at college.

    2/5

  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
  • I was given the same responsibility as a graduate would be and was often given specific areas of the audit that were my responsibility to see completed. This responsibility meant that I would need to follow up on things with the client if it it was not finished in the designated audit period.

    4/5

  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • I learnt huge amounts during my placement year, especially the ACA training which is such an amazing qualification to work towards. I passed 7 exams for the qualification which taught me a lot about audit and accounting. I also received lots of PwC training. This will mean that I will be equipped in the future for finance related jobs.

    5/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
  • The atmosphere in the office is always friendly. The drinks and social areas are good for catching up with people and lunches are often eaten on the long benches away from the desks. It is also very collaborative with people often working together. The environment encourages you to ask lots of questions.

    4/5

  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
  • Very well set up and organised. PwC have a lot of experience with placement students and there is a very clear structure. There is a lot of support, with specific sessions for keeping placement students update. This is similar to the graduate scheme with has a specific structure for training and development.

    4/5

  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • There was a lot of investment on me becoming as good as possible. There was a lot of training and college time before I had my first day at a client site. This meant that I was very prepared. This continued with college, internal training and online training throughout the placement.

    4/5

  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
  • Sports and Social Club

    National Travel

    Company Parties/Events

    3/5

  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
  • Very frequently placement students get offered graduate jobs which means that you can continue your ACA training contract with PwC. This would be an excellent start to your career. There is a very clear structure of how you can progress at PwC, from associate to senior associate to manager, with training as you go. As you progress you get the change to lead audits day to day (as an incharge).

    4/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
  • There were lots of socials put on either by PwC or SCASS which is a group for all ACA students from different firms in the area. This meant that you get to speak to lots of different people your age. However you are often the only person of your grade on a job and the jobs are spread out amongst client office so you do not see them as often as you would in a more office based job.

    3/5

  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
  • Southampton is an affordable place to live.

    4/5

  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
  • Southampton doesn't have the biggest range of nightlife but has lots of good restaurants.

    3/5

  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
  • There were some opportunities, such as the charity events and firm wide charity day. Having outside work commitments were encouraged but sometimes difficult if travelling.

    3/5

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Details

Placement (10 Months+)

South East

November 2017


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