Work experience at Dow Schofield Watts: a rite of passage for many students, but what does it mean here?
We asked our Content Creation Apprentice, Georgia, to speak to Partners around our Daresbury headquarters to gain an insight into why they encourage accountancy-based work experience, how it impacts their teams, and most importantly, what it gives to the students themselves.
Partner Perspectives
One of the main reasons why businesses participate in work experience is to cultivate future talent, providing the next generation with essential support for a head start in their desired industry.
I spoke to Gregg Pendlington and Ros Jones, Partners in Corporate Finance and Transaction Services, respectively, who gave me insight into leading work experience within their teams at Dow Schofield Watts.
Why do the teams do it?
Gregg: “I suppose the ultimate answer is that “we’ve all been there!” and therefore appreciate that it can be quite daunting for a student who has never worked or been in a professional environment. However, we know the value the student can get from it and are happy to give back from what we have previously benefited!”
What do we hope students get out of it?
Gregg: “We hope they leave with a clear view of what we do as a business. Within our client’s confidentiality boundaries, we set them real tasks relevant to our business and want them to learn, not just tick a box for their school, college, or university. We also want them to grow as individuals and be that small part of their development, help them realise that the pathway to adult working life is not so scary or boring!”
Ros: “We hope students take away a positive view of DSW and working in a professional but friendly environment, a high-level overview of what Transaction Services is and where it fits in the context of a business sale, and some experience in learning how to analyse and summarise business/accounting data.
Student Perspective
A former student who undertook work experience at Dow Schofield Watts shared their experiences about the process and their time spent at DSW.
Why did you look for work experience?
“I carried out work experience primarily to stand out amongst other candidates when applying to universities. Places are so limited and highly competitive, so anything to give me an advantage above others is worth doing, especially at a reputable firm such as DSW. I also carried out the work experience to further understand the field of work I wanted to enter to ensure I was making the right decision for the future.”
What do you hope to get out of the experience?
“As mentioned, I hoped to gain further insight into the industry whilst also gaining information about the roles that certain sectors of DSW do to see what sparked my interest most. The work experience was very useful, as I learned about different jobs, which I could see myself happily doing in the future.”
How did you apply for the opportunity?
“The process of setting up and starting the work experience involved me saying what I was interested in, why I wanted to do it with the company, and what areas of the firm I was most interested in exploring. It was pretty straightforward!”
Is there any other feedback you would give about your experience at DSW, and if you would recommend work experience?
“Overall, I would say the firm was very accommodating to me and my friend, who also carried out the work experience, asking what we most wanted to learn about within the company and accommodating our needs to get the most out of the experience. I highly recommend DSW as a firm to carry out your work experience.”
Key Benefits for Students
In summary, students benefit greatly from their work experience, like standing out from the competition when applying for jobs, getting hands-on experience in a professional setting, figuring out their career goals, and connecting with people who can guide their next steps.
Key Benefits for Businesses
Partners often see work experience as an investment in the future of their industry. By offering opportunities to young people, they are helping to develop the next generation. Work experience can also be a fantastic way for companies to find talented individuals for future hires. The Partners emphasised how gaining work experience can assist students in enhancing crucial skills such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.
Businesses also like to promote work experience because they contribute to the community via:
- Giving back – Many companies believe it is their duty to help their local community.
- Motivating young individuals – Companies can motivate young people to pursue careers in their industry by offering them real-world exposure.
- Building relationships – Work experience programs enable businesses to develop favourable connections with local schools and colleges.
How do students request placements for the next term break?
Cath Priestley, Recruitment Manager at Dow Schofield Watts says, “If you’re a student looking for a placement in one of our teams, the best thing to do is email careers@dswcapital.com around a month before your term break and let us know what subject you’re interested in, where you’re based, and how long you’d like to spend with us.”