Numbers add up for accountancy career

11 Aug 2023

Character counts when it comes to graduate recruitment at PwC.

Speaking at a Career Convos session at College, PwC Assurance Senior Manager 鈥 and Old Boy 鈥 Will Lovell explains that developing individual character strengths and being a team player 鈥 in tandem with accountancy ability 鈥 are integral to launching a successful career.

A member of Condell鈥檚 House from 2005鈥2009, Will still makes his mark on the College basketball court, leading the Old Boys team in the annual game against the Senior A side.

Will has shared his own accountancy journey 鈥 from College to the University of Canterbury (including a semester at the University of New Mexico) and on to PwC as a senior manager. He also holds a recruitment role, speaking to many students and interviewing those who have the best mix of skills and personal character traits to become accountants at PwC.

During the Career Convos session, he has pointed out that there are many opportunities for those considering a career in accountancy, including applying for a PwC Scholarship. It supports those experiencing financial and/or personal hardship by providing $7000 towards tertiary studies, a PwC mentor, and the chance to apply for a paid summer internship.

Will recalls taking Accounting at College in Year 12 鈥渁nd it just clicked鈥.

鈥淔rom there, it just seemed a natural progression into accountancy,鈥 he says.

Will says that learning from Accounting teacher Brian Le Vaillant 鈥 fondly referred to as 鈥楤DL鈥 by generations of boys during his 44-year College career 鈥 鈥渨as brilliant鈥.

He also highlights the importance of each boy developing his character strengths because PwC values a range of skills and service when taking on graduates and seeks out those who have taken on varied roles or challenges during their time at school.

As Will points out, 鈥淐ollege is great at giving you exposure to everything鈥.

鈥淥bviously, basketball was a passion for me but through the whole House sport thing you sort of have to get good at everything. Then, there is debating, and I did Speech and Drama, was in the choir, did musicals 鈥 you were constantly thrown opportunities to be challenged.

鈥淚t is an environment where taking up those challenges isn鈥檛 daunting. College was an awesome environment to be challenged in a safe space.鈥

Will has been with PwC since 2015, apart from a year working with a small firm to gain a different range of experiences. However, he is most at home at PwC.

鈥淚 love the 鈥楤ig Four鈥 environment,鈥 Will explains, referring to the world鈥檚 largest professional services networks 鈥 Deloitte, EY (Ernst & Young), KPMG, and PwC.

The 鈥楤ig Four鈥 is big enough to 鈥渟tretch you if you need stretching and challenge you if you need it but there is always the backstop of partners or, if you are junior, you have managers and they can align the opportunities with your skill sets, which is a massive bonus鈥.

鈥淚 also love that I go to universities and do recruitment and interviewing.鈥

Today, 鈥渢he skills and attributes have changed away from that practical, technical side of accounting to softer skills 鈥 being able to interpret and communicate鈥. It also helps to have some IT skills.

鈥淎ccounting gives you a pathway to a number of options earlier in life, particularly having chartered accountant against your name means travel, opportunities. It opens the door to so much outside of just pure accounting, outside of just NZ. I think it is a fantastic career. It鈥檚 evolving with technology and it鈥檚 changing and such a good opportunity.鈥