Name: Mahmoda
PwC office and area of the business: Reading, Assurance
A-Levels: Mathematics, Further Mathematics and Biology (A*BB)
How did you hear about PwC and work experience?
I signed up to a website called Access Professions from which I received an email about the PwC Business Insight Day. This programme is a day-long office based event which includes further information about PwC’s paid work experience programme ‘Business Insight Week’ and provides coaching and support for the recruitment process. At the Business Insight Day, I also took some of the assessment required to secure a place on the Business Insight Week and joined the programme in summer 2015.
Why did you choose the programme?
I was eligible to attend the Business Insight Day as neither of my parents went to university. My mother came to this county from Bangladesh in 1996 and could not speak English at this point. My father came to England in 1973 at the age of 3 and he was moving between Bangladesh and England and had little opportunity to go to school let alone university. The Business Insight Day was an opportunity to learn about PwC, who they are and what they do. We also looked at interview skills and went on to be interviewed and tested for the Business Insight Week. I chose to apply to the PwC School and College leaver programme after the Business Insight Week as I enjoyed my work experience with PwC so much. If I had attended university, I would have applied for a graduate position with PwC after university anyway. The School and College leaver programme enabled me to work in my desired field without needing a degree, which appealed to me.
What did you gain from your work experience?
I did the Business Insight Week in Consulting. I not only had the opportunity to shadow a team member who worked in consulting but I learnt about the different pathways into PwC. Before this point, I had little exposure to apprenticeships and this was a great opportunity to learn about alternate post A-Level opportunities that are available other than university. I was fast-tracked to the assessment day stage of the recruitment process where I subsequently applied for the School and College leaver programme. The main highlight of the week was the end of week activity where we worked in groups to design a product or an event to help sixth form students to become ‘business ready’. I think that this is a great idea and should be implemented in school or college.
Did you have any hesitations before applying? If so, what were they and how did you overcome them?
The programme is not a conventional route and the sixth form I attended encourages students to go to university. I was unsure what career opportunities would be available to me without a degree. To overcome this I researched into the qualification I would receive and I looked at the career routes that can be taken with this qualification. From this research I concluded that there are many available routes into different jobs and a degree is not always needed. I also understood that the hands on work experience that I would gain with PwC would be very valuable.
Where are you now?
I’m now in the second year of the School and College leaver programme. I’m based at the Reading office but enjoy travelling to many different client sites due to the nature of my work. One of the best things about my job would be the different people I meet and the vast array of clients that I work with. With every client I work with, I get an insight into a new company or industry so I’m always learning something new.
What does the programme offer you in terms of career progression?
There’s a natural career progression, moving from an associate to senior associate to manager. There's an opportunity to continually improve with every year of the programme as the work performed at each level changes.
PwC office and area of the business: Reading, Assurance
A-Levels: Mathematics, Further Mathematics and Biology (A*BB)
How did you hear about PwC and work experience?
I signed up to a website called Access Professions from which I received an email about the PwC Business Insight Day. This programme is a day-long office based event which includes further information about PwC’s paid work experience programme ‘Business Insight Week’ and provides coaching and support for the recruitment process. At the Business Insight Day, I also took some of the assessment required to secure a place on the Business Insight Week and joined the programme in summer 2015.
Why did you choose the programme?
I was eligible to attend the Business Insight Day as neither of my parents went to university. My mother came to this county from Bangladesh in 1996 and could not speak English at this point. My father came to England in 1973 at the age of 3 and he was moving between Bangladesh and England and had little opportunity to go to school let alone university. The Business Insight Day was an opportunity to learn about PwC, who they are and what they do. We also looked at interview skills and went on to be interviewed and tested for the Business Insight Week. I chose to apply to the PwC School and College leaver programme after the Business Insight Week as I enjoyed my work experience with PwC so much. If I had attended university, I would have applied for a graduate position with PwC after university anyway. The School and College leaver programme enabled me to work in my desired field without needing a degree, which appealed to me.
What did you gain from your work experience?
I did the Business Insight Week in Consulting. I not only had the opportunity to shadow a team member who worked in consulting but I learnt about the different pathways into PwC. Before this point, I had little exposure to apprenticeships and this was a great opportunity to learn about alternate post A-Level opportunities that are available other than university. I was fast-tracked to the assessment day stage of the recruitment process where I subsequently applied for the School and College leaver programme. The main highlight of the week was the end of week activity where we worked in groups to design a product or an event to help sixth form students to become ‘business ready’. I think that this is a great idea and should be implemented in school or college.
Did you have any hesitations before applying? If so, what were they and how did you overcome them?
The programme is not a conventional route and the sixth form I attended encourages students to go to university. I was unsure what career opportunities would be available to me without a degree. To overcome this I researched into the qualification I would receive and I looked at the career routes that can be taken with this qualification. From this research I concluded that there are many available routes into different jobs and a degree is not always needed. I also understood that the hands on work experience that I would gain with PwC would be very valuable.
Where are you now?
I’m now in the second year of the School and College leaver programme. I’m based at the Reading office but enjoy travelling to many different client sites due to the nature of my work. One of the best things about my job would be the different people I meet and the vast array of clients that I work with. With every client I work with, I get an insight into a new company or industry so I’m always learning something new.
What does the programme offer you in terms of career progression?
There’s a natural career progression, moving from an associate to senior associate to manager. There's an opportunity to continually improve with every year of the programme as the work performed at each level changes.