James F.
About me
| James F. | |
| Medieval Studies | |
| Medieval Studies | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Halifax | |
| 2009 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Associate | |
| PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP | |
| United Kingdom | |
| 2010 | |
| £20000 |
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A day in the life of a Associate in the United Kingdom
Where I hope to be in 5 years
The graduate scheme is structured to provide progression from Associate to Senior Associate whilst still qualifying - with responsibilities and rewards increasing with each year.
Post qualification there is the potential to go on secondment to other business units throughout the UK, and the world, and the potential to progress to manager level and beyond.
My advice about working in my industry
The Public Sector is currently undergoing significant changes - with budgets being slashed at a time when demand for services is increasing.
As such the work of the Public Sector assurance team is challenging, but rewardings - and demonstrating an interest in developments in the sector is an important factor in the recruitment process.
What I do
I work in Public Sector Assurance, and as such am engaged in external and internal audits in Higher Education, Housing and the NHS. I also work with some central government organisations.
On a day to day basis I work with clients to complete internal audit reviews covering all aspects of their businesses, or with PwC teams to complete external audits of financial information - applying PwC audit methodology to provide assurance on financial statement balances.
Assurance graduates complete the ACA qualification through the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) - which leads to Chartered Accountant status. The qualification is gained through studying at college, for which PwC provide study leave and internal support.
Skills I use and how I developed them
Any degree subject is applicable to graduate Assurance - and no degree choice is preferred. I had studied for a Medieval Studies MA after completing a History degree and did not feel that the lack of a finance degree or background counted against me.
PwC assess potential graduates on core competencies - which can be demonstrated with any degree subject and extra-curricular activies.
Extracurricular skills:
PwC look for skills which are often difficult to demonstrate from a purely academic record - extra curricular activities are definitely an advantage.
Working in Public Sector assurance requires motivation and a good work ethic, given that I can often work for extended periods independently, and levels of professionalism and an understanding of good client service.
What I like most
I enjoy the variety - from working with a wide client base across the Public Sector. I also enjoy client relationships - working closely with clients to develop audit procedures.
Next steps...
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