Justin [00:00:00] And do you offer internships at EY?ย
Charlene [00:00:02] Yes, we do. So we do a lot of different types of programs. We run the vacation program, which is our flagship internship program. We usually run it in the summer and in the winter of university breaks so that students can get that experience outside of their university study. We also do casual intern programs which are ongoing throughout the year in some particular teams as well. So yes, definitely we do a lot of different types of internships here at EY.ย
Justin [00:00:29] And how does the application process, if at all, for internships, differ from applying for the graduate roles?ย
Charlene [00:00:35] It's actually exactly the same, so, same application for tools, same type of testing, same type of application form and same recruitment days. Really, what is different is the outcome at the end of the type of interview they may get, the type of questions they may receive as well. But the process is pretty much the same.
Justin [00:00:56] How do the responsibilities for internships differ from the responsibilities that new grads are going to take on?ย
Charlene [00:01:02] Yeah. So I think the big difference between graduates and Vacationers is the time period, our graduates are all coming in full-time contracts and our Vacationers are on full-time hours in a particular period, usually anywhere between 4 weeks and 12 weeks. So the type of work they might be similar on a day-to-day basis, but longevity-wise our Vacationers may not be able to see the full engagement of the client and the project, but they still get a lot of opportunities in development as our graduates do. It can often just be part of longer engagement profiles and do more skill building and do more client engagements and different phases rather than Vacationers that are here for a shorter period of time.ย
Justin [00:01:52] And how much do interns get paid, if anything at all?ย
Justin [00:01:54] They do get paid. It just depends on each location. But we pay on an hourly rate, depending on how many hours they work.ย
Justin [00:02:01] Is it a big advantage for a student if they do the internship program? Are they much more likely to land a graduate role a year or two later when they're finished university? Or does taking an internship program not really give you a leg up into landing a role after graduating?
Charlene [00:02:17] Yes. It makes a huge difference if you are doing a Vacationer or internship program with EY, if you do a great job, the team will most likely offer you a graduate role afterwards because they had the opportunity to get to know you. They know how you work. They know they're going to be good. You're going to be good team fit. So, yes, definitely makes a big difference and I always recommend to students to start researching what experience opportunities you can get rather than just waiting till your final year and applying for a graduate role. So, yes, the earlier you apply, the earlier you get an internship, the better outcomes you're going to have with your graduate programs because the teams will get to know you better.
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