It pays to get a HEADstart in Business

Katy talks about her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as a HEADstart student.

In the beginning…

It all started when I was studying towards my A Levels in Economics, Maths and Accountancy, when my tutor at college told me about the opportunities to join PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) straight after college.  To find out more about the scheme she suggested that I go along to the next PwC open day where I could meet people who were already on the HEADstart programme.  I gained a lot of valuable information from the day and met some good people.  This convinced me to make an application to the firm and I started my career with PwC in September 2005.

A diverse role

As a HEADstart trainee, my role is incredibly varied with no typical day.  The work broadly consists of undertaking audit work in a team.  When out at client site there is a huge amount of interaction with the client staff, which makes the job interesting as you are constantly meeting new people.

I work in Assurance, more commonly known as audit.  This involves analysing every aspect of what a company does, advising them on whether their financial accounts are true and fair, assessing if they are meeting their regulatory responsibility and how they can improve their performance.  As I work in public sector my clients tend to be the NHS, local councils and colleges.  I do sometimes however work on private sector clients and charities.

A degree without the fees

In Assurance, HEADstart students study towards the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA).  College is broken up throughout the year so that you work towards various modules at college and then return to your client work to put some of the techniques into practice.  College is always enjoyable as it gives me a chance to catch up with the other HEADstart students and share any experiences we may have had back in the office.

The ACCA qualification has a unique partnership with Oxford Brookes University, and students have the opportunity to study for a BSc (Hons) in Applied Accounting whilst taking your ACCA exams. Part way through, or even after your studies, you can opt to complete a research and analysis project and gain an internationally recognised degree qualification.

Words of advice

Training to be an accountant takes time and requires a lot of effort (not to mention the expense). I would encourage plenty of research around the profession and to be 100% committed before embarking on a career.

It’s a good idea to attend an open day at a firm and gather as much information about what the job entails as possible so that they can make a fully informed decision.  Open Days often give people the chance to speak to people in the profession about their experiences and also to have a taster about what work is done on a day to day basis.

Here’s to a bright future

After I have completed ACCA I hope to progress my career within PwC.  The next stage would be executive and then manager.  With ACCA behind me, I would feel confident moving forward in my professional life.

To find out more about an open day near you, a career on the HEADstart programme or any of the other exciting opportunities at PricewaterhouseCoopers please visit www.pwc.com/uk/careers/