Category Archives: Accounting and Auditing

Morgan Hill Consultants – Employer Case Study

 

Name of Organisation: Morgan Hill Consultants

Description of Organisation: We are a team comprising ex CIO’s of multinational businesses, finance professionals, data analysts, data scientists and systems architects. Together we bring hundreds of years of experience in delivering deep insight, cost optimisation and effective deployment of technology inside large organisations.

Name of Employer: Nigel Duke

Job Title: Managing Director

Internship Scheme used:  SBP

Student Business Partnership (SBP) – Employment Services – University of Exeter

Feedback:

We recruited a Data Analyst Support Intern through the Student Business Partnership with the University of Exeter. They helped with the development of a very promising ML algorithm to classify finance data for further analytics. It all went according to plan, there were no issues at all, and it was produced for a very high standard.

We were very impressed with the calibre of the student. We offered our intern an extension which she accepted, and we look forward to continuing working with her.

Our experience was very positive. Our intern was extremely intelligent, diligent, co-operative and very willing to get involved. It was a very positive experience and one that I hope may be repeated.

Finance Assistant – Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

As part of the finance team, I took on any extra work required. This included work such as composing a review on specific products, which comprised of an overview of the product and analysis of particular cash flows in order to determine the most profitable as well as providing insight to the performance of the product. Another responsibility I undertook as part of the internship was compiling account balances then data mapping these in order to create trial balances of various subsidiary accounts. I also verified bank reconciliations.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

Over the course of the internship, I taught myself how to efficiently data map and use Excel in a more exceeding manner, which will be beneficial in any finance position.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

Any part of the finance department would give me work that they were unsure how to do (usually on excel) or if they needed any support doing tasks. This would have helped provide the company work more efficiently than otherwise.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Communication, problem solving, networking

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Confidence, motivation, logical thinking

Equity Sales Intern – Redburn

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

During my internship I shadowed a member of the equity sales team and supported them with their tasks. My tasks included: preparing materials for clients (including reports and presentations), making note of market news stories on a timely basis, researching companies and building a relationship with the research team, and, creating a network with employees and other interns. Over the internship I also carried out a research project.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

My biggest achievement was adding value directly to clients – this was most evident when a piece of research that I had written about dividend stocks, was included in an email to a client.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I was able to reduce the workload of colleagues (e.g. by manipulating data on excel, to free up their time). I was also able to improve the offering to clients, by producing a sector specific information pack for income investors.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Communication, IT, networking

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Commercial awareness, perseverance, creative thinking

Data Analyst – Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Exeter

SCP, SBP, GBP, A2I

What were your main duties and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

These included analysing data from their recent wellbeing survey, specifically exploring gender and age differences and summarising my findings in a report.  I also provided recommendations on how to improve the survey. Once this was finished, I helped with research into local estate agents (specifically whether they were adhering to new laws) and trends in Universal Credit claims.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

Being able to work independently and successfully manage my time.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I helped with research (on estate agents) and provided a comprehensive report of their survey findings.

 

Graduate Finance Associate – University of Exeter, Finance Services

euro-seem-money-finance

What were your main roles and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

My main responsibilities were assisting my colleagues with various daily and monthly tasks (including staff monitoring and modelling bursary allocations), carrying out and presenting data analysis and processing journals for management accounts. I contributed to the preparation of the University’s Access Agreement (a document that outlines the work that the University will undertake to widen participation) for 2018/19. I was also able to attend a variety of meetings and get an insight into different areas of the University.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

I learnt a lot about working in finance and confirmed that  I would like to pursue a career in this sector. I was able to use the knowledge and experience I gained in my internship to secure a permanent graduate role in finance.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I was able to lighten the workload of my colleagues during busy periods by taking over some of their usual activities.

“Our GBP made a really valuable contribution, was a fast learner and fitted in well to the team.  She was able to use her experience here when interviewing for the permanent finance role that she has secured.” – Management Accountant. 

Research and Finance Support Intern – University of Exeter

coins-currency-investment-insurance-128867

What were your main duties and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

My main duties included budget monitoring and reconciliation, statistical analysis and financial reporting to the Finance Manager. I also managed the College Expenses Systems (online and paper) from August-October 2015. I supported in delivering financial support and advice to professional services and academic staff, students and external speakers. I also worked on setting up external suppliers on the purchasing system and sending out contracts for self-employed personnel and provided Research Support for academic staff on grants. My other tasks included events management for conferences and workshops, acting as secretary to the Ethics Committee with duties including minute taking, creating agendas and managing the ethics inbox. I also took on the management of the College QR funding including the design of the monitoring spreadsheet and reporting to the Finance Manager.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

My biggest achievement was training a new member of staff to take over a vital role in the office.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I provided sterling support for my colleagues and covered two staffing gaps at busy times of year.

Accounting Assistant – Polgoon Winery

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What were your main duties and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

My daily responsibilities included raising sale orders and invoices, logging new purchase invoices and updating costing spreadsheets, purchase account reconciliation, cashing up and reconciling cash/ card balances, updating the shop sales cash sheet and petty cash book. I also had to liaise with customers, suppliers and staff members to solve various issues. I logged payments received from customers and undertook various administrative duties to support smooth business operations. I had also learnt and participated  in wine/ cider production process and updated various production costing sheets

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

Learning about the challenges and potential of running a small business in this sector, working in an office environment and supporting business needs.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I lightened the workload of the Accounting Manager and Marketing Manager allowing them to focus on more complex problems during high season.

Having the help of an intern with a fresh, current and up to date knowledge of the sector greatly helped their integration in to a busy working environment in a short time.  The positive attitude and working ethic of a student trying to learn as much as they can in order to increase their ability and grade was in turn a positive experience for us” – Line Manager.

Business Tax Services – EY

coins-currency-investment-insurance

What were your main duties and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

My roles were very similar to those of a newly recruited graduate. I was taken to client meetings where I had to take minutes, I rang HMRC to discuss penalties and refunds, I wrote a tax review memorandum that was sent to a client, I did basic tax computations for smaller companies and completed an ASQ (assessment of service quality) with one of the partners, among other things.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

I had a project to research BEPS (base erosion and profit shifting) and present this to the executive director and senior manager at the end of my time there. I had to apply the information I discovered to a company, investigating the effect that the new OECD rules could have specifically for them.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

During my internship the graduates in my office had time to complete at college. During this time I took over their jobs to help reduce the workload of my colleagues. They found this particularly useful and asked me to stay on longer to continue my work.

Audit Intern – PwC

What were your main duties and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

As an intern in the audit line of service I  was thrown straight to assist with the auditing of some of the firms that are clients of the Cardiff office. For example, I assisted with the audit of Lloyds Banking group. This was done after some brief training but mostly I was to learn on the job by doing, and by asking questions of my colleagues. This involved either working in the Cardiff office or travelling around to work in the client office. I was responsible for ensuring that financial information was correctly reported, and thus compliant with regulation, and simultaneously providing confidence to investors.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

I improved my interpersonal skills, making lots of valuable contacts and new friends.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I was able to do some of the less complicated tasks, reducing the workload for my colleagues; even completing an entire project on my own.

Did you encounter any problems during the course of your internship and if so, how did you overcome them?

It was initially very scary to have to go and ask the client face-to-face for financial information. However I asked my colleagues to help me prepare what I would say and rehearsed it, and eventually it became much easier as i developed a rapport and a relationship with the client.

Trainee Accountants Clerk – Dutton Mander Duffill

Universtiy of Exeter Internships, UoE Internships, SCP, SBP, GBP, A2I

What were your main duties and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

To begin with, I dealt with bookkeeping and data entry; I analysed VAT and posted client data onto the accounting software Sage or Microsoft Excel. Then I moved on to accounts preparation using another piece of software, Iris, and also Excel to produce draft ‘year-end accounts’ for different companies and partnerships.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

Working at Dutton Mander Duffill has helped me to further my knowledge of accounting and finance, as well as the practicalities of working in an office environment. It has provided me with a chance to assess my time management and prioritisation, and has greatly improved my computer skills; all of which I could apply to countless professions. Above all, it has increased my confidence and independence, through fellow colleagues and their supportive atmosphere. This experience befitted me personally and professionally, and will surely aid me in any future career.

“Natasha worked very hard during her time at DMD and we were extremely happy with not only the quality of her work but also the volume of work that Natasha was able to get through” – Line Manager