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A Postcard from PwC: Science
Alice Brown
Subject: GCSE & A Level English
Job Title: Proposals Coach / Manager, Sales and Marketing
Where I work: London
How I use Science in my work now:
- My role isn’t directly related to science, but studying a science allows me to bring an analytical mindset to my way of working. I help to ensure teams I work with are compliant and are consistent with our messaging against what the client is looking for.
My highlight of my job so far
- Supporting a variety of teams in building relationships with all sorts of clients and exceed expectations.
- Working with such passionate, motivated and caring individuals. Everyone at PwC looks out for each other!
If I went back in time what piece of advice would I give my 17 year old self?
Don’t go for subjects you think would ‘look good on paper’; go for subjects you’re genuinely interested in and want to learn more about. t’s a lot easier to do well this way!
Awais Hussain
Subject: A Level Chemistry
Job Title: Associate, Audit and Assurance
Where I work: Assurance DDM, Bradford
How I use Science in my work now:
- Chemistry is all about research. Data collection and analysis, not to mention designing experiments. Audit and accounting is strikingly similar. The intuition that I developed over the 2 years I spent studying chemistry at A Level transfers very neatly to accounting, especially auditing.
- Chemists understand that numbers aren’t just numbers; every digit you see printed on a page relates back to something actually happening in the physical world. So when I look at an account on a financial statement, I can see what transactions and business processes went into making that number. This helps take the abstraction out of accounting and make it more relatable.
My highlight of my job so far
- The highlight of my job was how quickly I was given the responsibility to manage my own project and workload. I worked on quite a large client and was fairly new to the job but I had the opportunity to directly communicate with the client myself and I built a good relationship as well as developing so many skills. It was an achievement for me because I was more confident when starting other projects
- Being able to get involved in volunteering and mentoring is a big highlight of my job. Working in Bradford means I can give back to my community and I love how passionate PwC is about social mobility and getting involved in programmes for schools and colleges.
If I went back in time what piece of advice would I give my 17 year old self?
As a Muslim, Sabr (patience) is a big part of my faith.Therefore, I would tell my 17 year old self to have Sabr. Sabr isn’t passive. It doesn't mean you do nothing and let everything wash over you. It means striving and not frequently complaining. It means that you constantly control yourself in regards to your words and action. Sabr isn’t easy. Sabr is tiring. But it will be worth it in the end. ars this has become more important to me as life priorities change.
Calum McCabe
Subject: A Level Biology, Chemistry and Physics
Job Title: Cybersecurity Associate
Where I work: Within the Core Advisory team in the Edinburgh Office
How I use Science in my work now:
- A key part of my role is communicating complex topics concisely and in a language tailored to my audience. Studying science at A-level has helped with this.
- Studying these subjects has also helped build analytical skills that I use each day to solve various problems.
My highlight of my job so far
- I started at PwC as a graduate 6 months ago and I’d say the biggest highlight so far has been the first month I spent training in London. I learnt so much there and met so many great people.
- Another has been collecting for a charity called The Hygiene Bank. It’s incredibly rewarding knowing that all your effort is going to make a huge difference to those most in need
If I went back in time what piece of advice would I give my 17 year old self?
The job you will have later in life is not wholly determined by the subjects you take. It’s never too late to pursue something you enjoy.
Chloe Carter
Subject: A Level Physics
Job Title: Senior Associate Technology Consultant
Where I work: Manchester, but sometimes Liverpool, London and Warsaw (Poland) too!
How I use Science in my work now:
- The short answer is, I don’t... BUT there’s lots of things that studying Physics made me better at:
- I’m a logical thinker, problem solver and can understand a breadth of technicalities in my projects - all really important qualities of a Delivery Manager
- I have to analyse information, spot trends and pay close attention to detail - these are all qualities of a physicist!
My highlight of my job so far
- Delivery managing a £1m+ project with a PwC team of 12 (UK and Poland-based)
- Being able to travel across various cities in the UK as well as New York, Paris and Warsaw with work! I’m also going to Nice in April
- Getting involved in ‘extracurricular’ activities such as schools and universities outreach, mentoring, etc.
If I went back in time what piece of advice would I give my 17 year old self?
Choose to pursue a career in what you love - people told me the same thing but I still didn’t fully listen to it. I loved my degree in Mechanical Engineering, but the work I do now in Consulting is so much more ‘me’ than Engineering was, and I could’ve chosen literally any degree I liked to do the job I’m doing now.
Polly Clarke
Subject: GCSE Triple Science, and the International Baccalaureate at School with highers in Biology, Chemistry and Psychology
Job Title: Management Consultant
Where I work: Bristol and Cardiff (but I travel all over!)
How I use Science in my work now:
- I analyse business processes and critically evaluate how their functions are fit for purpose - just like thinking of the best methods for experiments!
- I think of ways to create engaging data outputs from businesses - just like analysing data from experiments!
- I articulate findings in a clear way to businesses - just like sharing results from experiments with others and comparing!
These all help to inform businesses on how to improve!
My highlight of my job so far
- Helping to improve a process that affects everyone in the country and feeling listened to from top people in their fields.
- Giving back to my local community and helping to rebuild fencing around a nature reserve on our ‘One Firm One Day’ voluntary day!
- I didn’t expect to be welcomed so well and appreciated for my perspective based on my background. This helped to boost my confidence in my experiences and feel comfortable to make mistakes and learn from them.
If I went back in time what piece of advice would I give my 14 or 17 year old self?
Trust your perspective and don’t let people undermine your abilities because of your age but always be willing to learn and try to see the silver lining in hard times as these times will build your resilience for the future.
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