Assurance Associate Review

My role involves auditing a companies financial statements. This means that we have to check that the numbers presented to key stakeholders are a true and fair representation of what the conpany has and is worth. Therefore on a daily basis I may be carrying out checks to ensure that the companies revenue figures are accurate bu checking the the money the business says it has received are correct or on the other hand money the firm says it has expended has been correctly recorded.

During my role I have developed a number of useful skills. I have developed a strong understanding of how company financials are recorded and assessed. I have learnt how many different companies operate and function on a day to day basis and also how a business develops and implements a strategy. Along with this I have developed strong excel skills. These skills are all transferrable and useful in numerous roles within the financial sector.

There are aspects of my programme that I enjoy and some that I enjoy less. I feel that my programme gives me amazing opportunities. The ACA qualification opens so many doors and can be the key to many succesful careers in almost any industry. Whilst I may not always enjoy my work on a day to day basis, I have learnt a huge amount and the programme offers so much opoortunity and experience that this outweighs the negative aspects of the job. The people at PwC are fantastic. You are able to work with top graduates from the best universites that makes this a brilliant environment to learn in and develop. However, there are times when there are very long hours and a fair amount of pressure but this is more than outweighed by what is on offer if you complete the scheme.

At PwC I definitely feel valued. Although it is a very large company you are working in small teams on a day to day basis. Senior members of the team always seem very grateful for my help and the work I complete. They show this by making sure they give you time to coach you through work and teach you new things. There is always someone on the team who will be willing to help and as you are all trying to complete the work to a good standard at the same time and are 'in the same boat', I have always felt valued and that I have contributed to the success of the team.

I feel the pogramme is well structured. As apprentices we work towards the ACA exams just as graduates do. However, we are able to do this at a slightly slower pace which I feel is a very good thing as it has allowed us to adapt to professional level exams and ease into the working environment. Alongside this we also study towards our diploma and receive training specific to our job.

We receive a fair amount of support from our training provider. Whenever we are at college a tutor is available to answer any questions, both during college time and at weekends. They usually reply very quickly and are more than helpful. The college also provide a fair amount of materials that more than cover the content required to pass the exams. Having said this, it is much more hands off than school and you have to adapt to this when moving on to professional level exams.

The support from PwC is very good. When you join the firm you are allocated a 'people manager' who is a senior member of staff who can help you with any issues or disputes you might be having. Personally my manager has been fantastic and has always been there to answer any questions I have had and also help me with any opportunities I may want to seek out or take up within the firm, from working with different clients to joning groups withimn the firm. At the same time, they have been someone I can always talk to If im struggling or feeling pressure.

My salary meets all of my costs although I am currently living at home and paying rent that might be a lot cheaper than others. My travel does cost a large amount however this is covered by an interest free loan that PwC provides.

There are plenty of opportunities outside work. Within the firm there are lots of social groups who organise weekly and monthly activities such as bowling, pool or parties. There are also clubs/'societies' that you can join in the firm doing almost anything you can think of.

Yes

Working for PwC is a fantastic opportunity for any school leaver. There are graduates from the best universities in the world having completed top degrees and you are able to enter the firm at the same level and learn alongside them. The majority of graduates I have spoken to think the the school leaver scheme is a fantastic opportunity to fast track ahead as employers increasingly seek experience over a specific degree. The ACA qualification also opens almost any door that you can think of and by the time you would finish school you could be a qualified accountant or consultant havin worked for the largest professional services firm in the world.

Make sure you understand the service line that you are applying for. I would advise seeking our someone working in the service line and really understanding what you will be doing on a day to day basis. With any jobs in the financial sector there will be time when you may be working long hours and if you are going to be ding this you want to enjoy as much as possible the work that you are doing on a day to day basis.