Covid-Era Students Receive Communication Training

Some students who studied accountancy during the pandemic struggle with their communication skills in the workplace, which is why they are being given further training. 

PwC and Deloitte have revealed they will provide new recruits with extra coaching on face-to-face presentations, participating in in-person conferences, and building a rapport in meetings, reported The Guardian. 

During their degree, many university graduates faced lockdowns, which meant most of their learning was conducted online. This meant they missed out on valuable social and communication training that would equip them with important skills needed to be a successful accountant. 

Chief people officer at PwC Ian Elliott said: “It’s wholly understandable that students who missed out on face-to-face activities during Covid may now be stronger in certain fields, such as working independently, and less confident in others, such as presentations to groups.”

PwC has been trialling the extra coaching, and has claimed feedback from the tutorials has been “really positive”. Subsequently, it is planning to introduce it to all graduate recruits to help them fill gaps in their skill sets. 

Important skills prospective accountants need to have under their belt also include being organised, such as record keeping and hitting deadlines; being able to understand new projects and concepts quickly; and having a solid knowledge of accountancy practices. 

Graduates who are looking for a job after their degree and feel they have the skills needed to launch their career should enrol with accountancy recruitment agencies.