What is your current role?
I am currently a second year trainee associate within the global mobility tax team at PwC.
What is involved in your role?
I am part of a client team on one of our largest clients. I speak to the client daily on any issues they have, I prepare returns for the employees and talk to them about the tax consequences of moving abroad for work. I am also involved in presenting our newest technology advances to clients. It can be very varied.
What extra-curricular activities were you involved in at school? Work experience?
I was a librarian and part of dance group and main school choir. I did 2 weeks of work experience in year 12. The first was at Barclays, which I enjoyed and was when I first started to understand I would like a career within business and with an office environment. I then did work experience during the summer at PwC, in the same area of tax that I now work in. This is where I first learned about the apprenticeship at PwC. I really loved the work experience, they didn't ask me to make the tea or do photocopying but instead involved in the work which the team were performing, which I was informed would be sent directly to the client. They were very welcoming and even gave me my own laptop for the week!
What were the most important skills you acquired at school?
Shottery taught me the skill of presentation, which has certainly helped when presenting our findings and new ideas to clients. Other important skills were how to juggle priorities and how I revise best, which is helpful for the exams.
Why did you decide on a school-leaver programme?
When deciding between university and an apprenticeship I realised that I already knew what I wanted from a job, which was to work for a big, well-known company. Going to university would only delay that, whereas I had a perfect opportunity to begin that now, instead of waiting 3 or 4 years before applying for jobs like this anyway. I felt ready to begin work, I already knew I liked working within an office environment and liked the idea of getting exams equivalent to a degree whilst earning.
Amy Griffiths
SGGS 2008-2015