Smart Futures Work Experience Student Review

My experience involved being introduced to a number of different areas and potential career paths, both in accounting and outside this area. Much work involved working on presentations to accountants whilst having a mentor. We also were able to work in a team to obtain a qualification in team leading. There was a lot of variety so we could choose which of EY’s areas of specialty we wanted to be a part of from marketing to law.

I learned from my experience to be able to work well in a team and communicate more effectively. A lot of the tasks were focused on presenting and team building. I felt low pressure and was comfortable to carry out all tasks. My interpersonal, organisational and adaptability were greatly increase before completion of my experience.

I would consider this experience to be one that has shaped me and I would say it was personally one of the best experiences for me thus far. I made a lot of friends and was able to network to people who I can reach out to and connect with to the present day.

My work experience was organised so that there was always something for me to do and I never experienced a dull moment at EY. The mentors and leaders were very professional and organised. They were also very flexible and adapted to things that we suggested and provided timetables for us to follow.

From my experience, I learnt a lot about how it would be to work at EY or a similar accounting firm. This was through conversing with the staff as well as mentors and also by gaining hands on experience and being able to first hand present on various engagements to gain this in-depth insight.

My work experience has meant that during my application processes for university, I have a lot of examples of how I have demonstrated and developed different skills. It has increased my confidence in pursuing the career I wanted and the skills are very transferable. It has motivated me to apply to university.

I was paid for my experience for every hour that I worked. We were also reimbursed for transport costs when we needed it or couldn’t afford to make it to the office. I was happy with the salary I got and it provided a basis for my working life in the future.

There were various opportunities to meet different employees and we were able to also work alongside them directly. We were also taught directly from them and given invaluable advice on multiple occasions. I was given the opportunity to network and was also introduced to LinkedIn to stay in contact and be informed of further opportunities. There was also a presentation evening where we met with senior members and could converse with them directly in a low-stress, casual environment.

Yes

My work experience for EY has been one of the best experiences of my life. I am thankful that I was able to spend my summer productively and I would encourage people to do so too. This is something I greatly learned from and an experience that I will undoubtedly never forget.

To be as open as possible o trying new things and exploring. A person should have an open mindset and be willing to develop contacts and engage in such a life-changing experience. I would encourage them to also take this as a very serious responsibility and be open to facing new challenges. I would also suggest they make the most of this experience to gain the most rewards from their work as they possibly could.