Our stories

The next generation game

We have launched a series of groundbreaking technology degree programmes across the UK to provide the right talent for our increasingly digital business.

Setting the scene

As technology changes the way we deliver for our clients, it presents a huge opportunity to create new jobs and rebalance our economy and society. To ensure we’re well placed for a digital future, we need to recruit and train our people in innovative ways, finding and cultivating the best talent available.

That’s why in 2019 we launched a number of technology degree programmes. One year on, our first cohort have achieved fantastic results.

How we helped

In Birmingham, Leeds, Edinburgh and St Andrews, more than 100 students earned places on the fully funded degree programmes, studying either computer science, software engineering or data science, depending on their university.

Belfast’s growing digital sector meant the city was a perfect location for the new addition to the ​Flying Start programme at Queen's University​. It’s one of just five cities in the UK where more than 10% of the population is employed in the tech industry and, with vacancies growing by 120% between 2015 and 2018, the demand for talent is the second greatest challenge facing startups.

In Scotland, a Data-Driven Innovation initiative is a key part of the £1.3 billion Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal Government investment, which made the city an ideal choice for the data science programme, along with neighbouring St Andrews.

36 students from across Yorkshire were among the first in the UK to be welcomed by us, on the fully funded computer science degree apprenticeship launched in partnership with the University of Leeds. With a growing specialist tech team in Leeds, we’re opening up the opportunities to people who may have thought that university of tech careers were out of their reach.

In the Midlands, 38 students joined our first cohort of the fully funded computer science degree apprenticeship at the University of Birmingham.

Bringing together business and academia to address changing skill demands, the programmes help ensure that the flow of skills entering the world of work can bring a benefit to society as a whole.

For the students, as PwC employees from day one, they’re paid a salary over the length of the programme, which combines studying in term time with work-based learning experience during placements.

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“With this opportunity at PwC I really feel like I’m getting the best of both worlds.”

Ashleigh MilesPwC Tech degree student

Making a difference

Over the summer, the students have been working on projects across our technology teams, many of them directly with clients, where they have gained valuable experience that sets them apart from their peers.

The apprentices have made an exceptional start to their lives at university and on placement, which provides a great foundation as they move into year two, while we prepare to welcome the second cohort.

Paul Terrington, our Head of Regions said: “We need the skills and capabilities to allow us to effectively respond to the changing requirements of business in this digital age. Our investment in the degree programmes across the regions is an important part of this as technology becomes an ever more important aspect of our business.”