This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
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The Role
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The Company
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The Culture
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
Overall, the placement was excellent. It was an amazing opportunity to work in a young and friendly environment with a coaching culture. People in the office are always happy to help which is a great positive, and allows for quick development and early responsibility.
The culture in PwC is based on coaching, therefore it allows meaningful conversations and regular feedback. There is a lot of trust among seniors and associates/placement students which is presented in responsibility early on in the placement year. People take the time to thank each other for the hard work and speak about improvements needed. I felt really valued on a day to day basis, as well as during the feedback process. Establishing relationships and being part of the office was without a doubt the highlight of my placement.
PwC has a coaching culture, therefore both the knowledge received and the coaching manner was of the highest quality. Seniors take the time to explain the underlying matter in details, so you can not only understand the subject, but also explain it to the client. At the beginning of the placement I was introduced to the clients and work to be performed by the senior members of the team. As the year progressed, I have been given more complex assignments and was trusted to deal with the client directly. Seniors and managers encouraged me to ask questions and were eager to resolve any problems. I felt really supported and it definitely allowed for quick progression.
The intensity of the work depends on clients reporting deadlines. Until January I was moderately busy mainly focusing on easy areas of the work and practical training. From January to April amount of work increased drastically along with hours worked. From May onwards the workload decreased. Overall, work life balance is one of very few areas which need improvement.
The learning curve is very steep at PwC, however I was supported by my colleagues at every step of the way. This allowed for responsibility from very early on. The role requires a lot of client engagement, therefore you are required to represent the company at all times. As the year progressed, more opportunities arose to take ownership of own development and increase complexity of the work performed.
While working, I was required to pass two modules at university directly linked with work performed, which helped in preparation for the exams. Placement has also helped me identify areas which need improvement, therefore allowing me to focus on these issues in my final year of university. During my placement I have received a great amount of technical and soft skills training. I feel confident in work environment and professional events. As PwC placement is accredited, the time required to qualify is reduced by a year.
The Company
The office is young and enthusiastic people, which love to joke around. It is an open space area, which means anyone can sit next to you, this way most of the office knows each other really well. There are quiet rooms located along the office, should there be a need for privacy and the view from the floor is astonishing! There is something for everyone, the atmosphere is relaxed despite the workload.
At the beginning of the placement a few days were sacrificed for the introduction to the office and role to be performed. Each starting employee is assigned a 'buddy' and a 'people manager' which are responsible for career development and providing guidance throughout the year. The programme works really well, as both the buddy and people manager are very eager to help. Placement students complete one block of professional qualification study and go into work. At first seniors guide through the work assignments step by step until more experience is gained. More training is provided throughout the year. It is very organised, however there are times were the responsibility lies on the student side to informing their managers/seniors about training times.
Placement students and associates are treated identically in terms of work and training opportunities. Placement students follow the same path as joiners which are exempt from professional qualification exams in first block of studies. This allows to join the work early on and have industry work experience. There was a great amount of technical and soft skills training, often in different cities which allowed to connect with offices across UK. I felt really supported in my development throughout my placement.
Flexi Time
National Travel
Company Parties/Events
Above 25 days holiday
Working from home
At the end of the placement I have been offered a job within the office I worked for.
The Culture
There was a great amount of events throughout the year organised by PwC. Just to name a few - an office ceilidh, Christmas party or the AGM to which everyone was invited. Drinks trolleys were organised by the staff once a month which were a popular event. Social committee was very active organising office parties, treasure hunt or a trip to horse races. Sport was popular in the office, whereby anyone was free to join a particular group and learn new skills.
The cost of living and socialising is high compared to other cities in the UK, however PwC takes into account the cost of living and reflects this in the salary.
The people at the office are very integrated and happy to socialise, therefore nightlife was always very fun, despite not having many choices as to where to spend the night. There were many events and occasions to go out, and everyone was encouraged to attend by the social committee.
There were a lot of opportunities to get involved in sport or charity events organised both by the company and staff. Anyone was welcome to join and learn something new. Additionally, there were opportunities to attend presentations and events linked to new market developments and emerging technologies. It was an interesting experience and a chance to meet new people.
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
Audit
Scotland
November 2018