On February 17, I had the opportunity to attend PricewaterhouseCooper’s (PwC) Explore Program at the US Headquarters in New York City, for a full-day conference. Explore is an annual program PwC sponsors for freshmen and sophomores in four year undergraduate programs to help participants identify and align their interests and skills with potential career opportunities.
Explore provided me with wonderful insights into the positive work culture at PwC and helped me learn more about myself and how I fit into different career fields in accounting, such as Assurance, Tax, and Advisory. Not only was I able to connect with incredible individuals, but I also had the opportunity to gain a foundational understanding of PwC and get a glimpse of how the firm upholds its “Be well, work well” work environment.
As a Management major striving to find future employment in a Human Resources capacity, the program allowed me to further develop interest in PwC’s Advisory functions, as well as connect with professionals on various Advisory teams. Even though PwC is a professional services firm, predominantly specializing in providing accounting (tax and assurance) services and expertise to clients, multinational businesses, and charities alike, I noticed the importance of having individuals from various majors and areas of specialty to collectively contribute to the company’s successes.
I am grateful to PwC for giving me an opportunity to put my foot in the door, make connections, and give me an idea of how to begin my life as a young professional. I was able to speak with many of the firm’s partners who helped me to envision my professional goals more successfully, and the day’s conversations truly helped me better understand what it is like to be an employee of PwC. The importance of striving to constantly improve individually, yet effectively collaborate within teams was stressed throughout the course of the day and was evident in each activity or interaction I experienced. The day’s exercises also demonstrated the significance of effective communication, both verbally and in writing, as well as developing a personal brand, discovering individual leadership styles and strengths, and effectively networking with colleagues and upper-level management.
The corporate office is gorgeous and is filled with people who are undoubtedly willing to succeed in their chosen fields of study and build upon their current interests and passions. Interacting with PwC partners, as well as other Explore Program participants, provided me with an insight into the type of firm PwC is, as well as what PwC’s core values are. For anyone interested in learning about themselves in the context of the professional world I would recommend the PwC Explore Program without hesitation. I had an amazing time and really enjoyed getting to learn more about PwC, their values, and all of the opportunities they have to offer!
– Aneta Sieminski, TCNJ School of Business, Class of 2023