Accounting
The largest of the ‘Big Four’ accounting & professional services firms is PwC, which has 36,000 staff and 19 offices in the UK. It is currently ranked the number one employer in The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers and offers a substantial range of graduate and school-leaver programmes each year. One eye-catching entry-level scheme at the firm is PwC’s four-year accounting ‘Flying Start’ degree programme for sixth form school-leavers. “Flying Start is a study-first programme, which means students study accounting full-time at university”, says Sarah Delaney, Early Careers Manager at PwC. “But it also includes two 16-week paid placements at PwC that are integrated into the degree structure in year two and three, as well as a longer placement during the fourth year of the programme.” The degree programme is delivered in collaboration with Newcastle University, University of Manchester, University of Nottingham, University of Reading and Queen Mary University of London. By the time students complete the programme,
degree counts towards the professional experience you need in order to qualify,” explains Delaney. Unlike a degree apprenticeship, students pay their
they will have completed 12 out of the 15 professional exams needed to become an ICAEW chartered accountant. The remaining exams can then be completed in just over a year. In comparison, students who join PwC after university will need to complete a three-year graduate programme before reaching this same level.
own university tuition fees, but they are paid a competitive salary for each of the work placements during the programme, and some courses offer reduced fees. PwC also offers means-tested bursaries of £10,000 for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds, to provide support with the living costs associated
Flying Start is a study-first programme where students study accounting full-time at university
“It’s a fast-track route to qualifying because all the work experience that you get with PwC during your
with attending university. “During their placements, our Flying Start students are full-time members of the teams they’re working in,” emphasises Delaney. “They’re getting really valuable work experience that complements what they’re studying at university. And by the time they join us as a graduate, they are already familiar with the business and know the people they’ll be working with.” Applications for Flying Start are initially made directly to the individual universities offering the programme using the UCAS form, and there is then a further selection process to complete with PwC. “We have a very straightforward recruitment process,” reassures Delaney. “After applying via UCAS, the first stage of selection is an online test, which is followed by an online recorded video interview and then a virtual group task.”
32 Degree Apprenticeships
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