Careers in Professional Services Event: An insight into the ‘Big 4’

Developing opportunities for the whole Armed Forces Community

The Forces Employment Charity’s Careers in Professional Services event saw the ‘Big 4’ come together on 27 September 2023 to welcome Service leavers, reservists, veterans and military family members at PwC UK’s embankment offices in central London. The event welcomed 147 delegates and included a full day of presentations, workshops, exhibition stands and networking drinks. Joining them were leaders from PwC, Deloitte, EY and KPMG, as well as a stand from disaster response charity REACT, brought together to showcase the breadth of roles and opportunities available to the Armed Forces community

This event is an example of how we are working with companies from across industry to encourage “ruthless collaboration” as requested by Johnny Mercer at Veterans Work to improve military pathways into a variety of sectors.

Here’s what various delegates had to say on LinkedIn:

“Fantastic day. Debunked the myths behind the sector and showed how the military skills map across to opportunities in the Big 4. Great panellists and very well put together by Forces Employment Charity.”

“A fantastic day. I was blown away by the information I received throughout the day and having the ability to meet and make contacts with people from the Big 4 was invaluable. Also meeting the FEC and chatting to them and realising that not only can you help me but you can also help my kids as they transition out of Uni life. Great day all round and thank you.”

“A fantastic event that actually provided tangible outputs and tools that could optimise any transition. TY.”

“It was impressive to see the Big 4 collaborating for the benefit of the Armed Forces community. Gems of advice on interview technique, LinkedIn crash courses (pick me up Algorithm!) and headshots. Recommend the next iteration to anyone leaving.”

So, what were the benefits of attending Careers in Professional Services?

1. Exploring the Big 4: Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC military programmes and pathways.

2. Demystifying the sector and discovering the wide range of roles available. Hearing directly from recruiters about how to tailor CVs for applications.

3. Informative workshops where recruiters shared tips for your interview preparation.

4. The opportunity to network with hiring managers, recruiters and military community representatives from these companies.

5. A LinkedIn profile picture for each delegate.

Forces Employment Charity Director of Executive Services, John Cunningham, said:

“We were so pleased to be able to bring the Big 4 together along with other companies to offer Service Leavers, veterans and spouses a better understanding of the sector and an insight into the opportunities that it provides. The event was a huge success, and we look forward to more brilliant collaboration in the future!”

Venue hosts PwC’s Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer, Marissa Thomas, spoke at the event and adds:

“At PwC, we are proud to have taken the lead in hosting the first of the FEC’s ‘Big 4’ Careers in Professional Services events. We are guided by our purpose – to build trust in society and solve important problems – and I hope that this is both exciting and highly relatable to those from the Armed Forces community. We look forward to welcoming new joiners and supporting them in their transition”.

Want to hear more?

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