Story 1 - Jennifer Batliwalla
Jennifer Batliwalla studied a BSc in management and accounting at Royal Holloway, University of London. She undertook a 12-month paid internship with accountancy firm, Ernst and Young.
A year in industry wasn't a compulsory part of my course, but it was something I felt strongly about and really wanted to do. I was keen to 'road test' accountancy, before I entered into a full time career to see if I enjoyed it.
I attended several careers fairs and talked to representatives from the 'big four' firms and felt that Ernst and Young came across as a real 'people place'. After a rigorous application process, I was offered a one-year industrial placement with the audit practice in London.
During my placement I was completely integrated into the team, and was given the opportunity to attend client meetings; take on similar projects to that of a first-year graduate; and was put through two of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland's (ICAS) accountancy qualifications.
As part of my role with the audit team, I was also lucky enough to spend two months of my internship working for the firm in Boston, Massachusetts and was selected to attend an international internship conference in Florida, which were both fantastic opportunities.
The industrial placement provided me with a real insight into the accountancy profession and confirmed that this was the career path I wanted to follow. I now work with Ernst and Young in the audit team, specialising in the industrial and consumer products industry. I would recommend an industrial placement to anyone.
