Three former Sacred Heart College students have secured paid traineeships with top accounting firms after completing a specially-designed Curtin University of Technology course.
Loretta Collins, Daniel Atherton and Jennifer Said, who have just completed Year 12 and are now enrolled at Curtin, have joined PricewaterhouseCoopers and PKF Australia after taking part in Curtin’s Accounting Excelerate Program.
The award-winning program offers top Year 12 TEE accounting students the opportunity to participate in an industry-based program that gives them a taste of the business world.
Ms Collins, of Sorrento, who topped the Accounting Excelerate Program, said it had provided a great way to experience university and get a head start.
“The program required me to attend classes at Curtin for three hours per week. It gave me a taste of university life and convinced me that I wanted to major in accounting,” she said.
“I start my traineeship with PricewaterhouseCoopers next year and I’m really looking forward to it. To have an employment contract with the largest accounting firm in the world before starting university is very exciting.”
Mr Atherton, of Connolly, placed among the top 150 TER in WA and said his results came as quite a shock.
“I performed better in my exams than I had expected and it was great to see the results when they came through,” he said.
“To secure a traineeship with PwC commencing next year is also an added bonus. I never expected to get so much out of the program.
“The PwC traineeship extends my accounting degree over four years, with the first year spent studying at university while being paid a weekly allowance. It is then followed by two years of full-time work with PwC and part-time study, and the final year is full-time study.”
Ms Said, of Kallaroo, said the chance of getting a traineeship with an accounting firm and the opportunity to make new friends were the reasons she chose to do the Excelerate Program.
“I was fortunate enough to finish among the top 15 students in the program and I also secured a cadetship with PKF Australia,” she said.
“I start in July this year and it goes for the duration of my degree. I recently came back from a week induction in Sydney. I am now even more excited about starting work and the fact that it’s paid is an added bonus.”
All three students have also received Curtin scholarships.
CRICOS provider code: 00301J
