Tell us about yourself, where you’re from and what you studied in college
My name is Molly Wheeler, I’m a 25-year-old from Dublin. I am currently working as an associate in the financial services department in the Audit and Assurance graduate programme at Deloitte.
I initially started studying Children’s and General Nursing at University College Dublin (UCD), I then changed courses to study International Commerce at UCD. I always had an interest in science and business in school but wasn’t sure which I would pursue.
How did you find out about the graduate programme?
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In college, graduate programmes were frequently discussed so I had known about it from the start of college. I decided to apply for a summer internship at Deloitte before going into my final year to see if audit was for me.
Prior to the internship, I enjoyed accounting in the Leaving Cert and university modules, but I hadn’t thought about pursuing it as a career. I loved my time on the internship, it gave me a real insight into what the daily role of someone in the graduate programme might look like.
What is the graduate programme like?
Graduates in the audit and assurance programme are placed in either the financial services or consumer technology business departments and then put on to various teams within those departments.
Most graduates work across a number of teams within their department throughout the programme, providing the opportunity to work with a wide variety of people and undertake a range of different tasks. While on the programme, graduates sit their accounting exams.
What the work experience was like
The programme begins with a few weeks of training. The training is both technical and audit focused. As an associate, you work closely with the other graduates in the programme, as well as management. As you progress through the programme, you’re given more responsibility and more challenging tasks.
What do you plan to work as after the programme and why?
I have a keen interest in sustainability. I would love to combine my accountancy knowledge and sustainability interests in my future career. Sustainability is an area that will be quickly developing over the next 10 years, especially when it comes to what approach businesses can take.
What’s your advice to graduates applying to the programme?
In terms of the interview, I would say to be yourself and think of it simply as a conversation. Personally, I was asked a lot about my CV, so know what is on yours and be able to discuss it. Try to draw on previous experiences that you think are relevant, such as working in teams in college, sports or any previous work experience you have.
