We spent time catching up with Nicole, who recently participated in PwC's Women in Business Programme.
What attracted you to apply to this programme?
I originally applied for the Talent Academy, but unfortunately lost my voice on the day of the assessment centre. As I passed all the psychometric tests however, PwC made me an offer for the Women in Business programme. I’m really pleased I was offered a position on this programme. It’s a bit longer than the Talent Academy and gave me an opportunity to shadow people so I felt I was able to really get a feel for the work that PwC do.
What have been your highlights so far?
- Helping with a PwC “classroom” event, which helps teach young students about what PwC do, especially about the future of technology
- Listening in on a call about how best to pitch PwC and take on the other Big Four accounting firms for a particular project in the Middle East
What three things have you learnt from being on this programme?
- The importance of networking
- How flexible PwC can be in terms of where employees can be based across the UK and world, as well as how easily individuals can move between areas
- How the future of technology will affect PwC, how they work, as well as how they will help their employees adjust in their day-to-day lives
Has the experience helped you learn more about PwC? What do you now know that you didn't before?
I’d been lucky enough to shadow a partner in PwC a few years ago, so this wasn’t my first time here. This particular experience has shown me the scope of PwC and the work they do, for example I took part in a meeting where a partner in Abu Dhabi phoned to discuss a client project that was happening in North America. London has three offices alone so you learn very quickly how large and global the company is.
Has this experienced encouraged you to apply to PwC in your future career?
It’s certainly helped me realise that I’d like to work in advisory services. Also having been exposed to so many people from different backgrounds has just opened my eyes to how much is out there, and made me more inclined to consider other avenues alongside working at PwC as a potential future career choice.
Find out more about how you can experience our Women in Business week by clicking here.