The Summer Vacation Scheme is for university students who want to explore job opportunities in the real world. It’s designed for people in their penultimate year of university or those in their last year who are going on to do a master’s degree. You’ll work in your assigned team for four to six weeks, depending on the programme, getting directly involved with projects. It’s a chance to see if it’s a good fit for you, learn more about the business and decide whether you’d like a career in that area.

As a student, you’re unlikely to have much work experience, but that’s ok. You don’t need specialist skills, you just need to be able to demonstrate passion and interest in the subject. In the application make it clear why you’re applying for that area, making it personal to you. Before my interview I also did lots of research on tech trends and made sure I knew what was going on in the market. The interview feels like a natural conversation, so it’s best to relax, come prepared with knowledge of your subject area, and be yourself.

I had a short induction and got stuck in straight away. I was part of a team that was keeping track of risks, so my duties included lots of research and analysis, as well as supporting with some event organisation. I really enjoyed that I was given real responsibilities from the outset, and was trusted to complete tasks. The specific activities for each role will vary depending on the business area, but you’ll very much feel like part of the team. If there’s specific areas you’re interested in, you can ask to get more involved.

You’ll learn lots about Deloitte and the way it operates, as well as getting support and hearing about the experiences of the people you’re working with. There’s also going to be opportunities to understand the way different industries function, and you’ll get to understand more about corporate life. When I did the scheme, I learnt that being adaptable is part of the job and while teams and jobs may evolve as time goes on, our core purpose is the same. The SVS will help you to understand more about Deloitte’s values, so that you can decide if they align with your own goals and purpose.

After you complete the scheme, you’ll have an interview opportunity for a full-time graduate position in the business line you’ve been working in, to start when you’ve finished your degree. Your ability to be offered a position will be based on your performance throughout the programme. Rather than specific technical skills, this feedback will relate to your interest levels, communication skills and problem-solving abilities, as well as your willingness to adapt and learn. During the interview I recommend using tangible examples from your experience to demonstrate how you’d grow and develop at Deloitte. If you decide to join the graduate scheme you get the opportunity to learn and grow quickly. I joined the firm after graduating in 2020, and I’ve had two promotions since then.