From PwC Intern to ISCG Branch Founder by Pádraig Meehan

So how does one end up in the Irish Student Consulting Group? It is a fairly roundabout story that began back as a hungover Fresher back on my very first day at Queen’s University Belfast in September 2017. Attending my very first introductory lecture for my degree, BSc Economics with Finance, a representative from PwC came in to give us a talk. To be perfectly honest, I saw this as an opportune moment to “rest my eyes” and recollect my thoughts. A few weeks later, I discovered a PwC flyer in the bottom of my bag from that very presentation. The flyer was related to PwC’s Flying Start programme and I entered an application in hope more than expectation. Little did I know that my Consulting career would sky rocket from there.

Fast forward 11 months and I was in the car home from a Gaelic match down the country when we stopped for a sandwich. It was Rachael from Student Recruitment with a job offer for an 11 month Business Placement in the Strategy& Consulting team in Belfast. So how did I get there? An online application form detailing my background and educational achievements, online psychometric and aptitude tests and an in-person team exercise and further English and Maths testing at the PwC office secured my interview place. As a reward for getting this far, PwC treated us to a night away in a 5* hotel in North Antrim where we learned about the various teams that work under the PwC banner. We had the opportunity to speak to Partners, Directors, Senior Managers and Associates who had just recently graduated. We really did have our eyes opened to the full extent of the business and the opportunities that lay before us. After this two day event, we chose a strand of the business to interview for and I luckily succeeded in obtaining an 11 month Business Placement in my penultimate year of studies. I chose to focus on Strategy Consulting with a particular emphasis on Economics and Policy. Other areas of Consulting included Management, Technology and People & Organisation.

Working within the Strategy G&HI team at PwC, I had a plethora of opportunities to work across Government Sectors such as Customs, International Development, Brexit Readiness, International Trade, Finance and Postal Services. Government clients that I worked alongside included Governments both inside and outside of the European Union and the European Union itself. Operating as both a Strategy and Economics Consultant allowed me to develop newfound confidence and expertise in these areas as well as in the use of software such as Excel, Tableau, Alteryx, PowerBI and Squarespace. As a Strategy Consultant, my work consisted of collecting, preparing and analysing data to identify key trends alongside the production of weekly reports for the highest level of Government and policy-making Civil Servants. I also had the opportunity to conduct thought-provoking Thought Leadership to identify key trends and issues facing various sectors in the run up to Brexit.

As an Economics Consultant, I had the opportunity to work on important Impact Assessments which calculated the overall impact of various technologies on Global GDP across the next decade in the context of Covid-19. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to work as a Regulatory Economist on a policy review of the regulations facing State-Owned Enterprises in a European Union country with the view to undertaking structural reform over the coming years. I also worked as an International Trade analyst exploring key metrics and product lines to help develop a Target Operating Model for a multi-million-pound trade initiative which is due to commence shortly. In this piece of work, I was given full autonomy whilst working closely with the firm’s Senior Trade Advisor to identify the market trends needed to make this initiative a success. In addition, I had the opportunity to conduct Economic Updates and provide live commentary for the national firm on the Economic Impact of the Budget. Not something to be scoffed at for a student.

PwC was a fantastic place to work and I hope to return in the coming years at some point. The company provided me with many great professional development opportunities such as trainings and workshops and the chance to work hands-on with some of the brightest minds in the industry. My presentation and public speaking skills have improved immeasurably and my technical capabilities and business acumen now rival that of any professional. Right through from the Partners and Senior Trade Advisors to the Associates and Administration staff, no one person was unable to influence my worldview and I was afforded the chance to grow personally and professionally over the course of my time with the firm. Allowing me the flexibility to work from home and time off to take care of family matters before and during the Covid-19 crisis is something that I will be forever grateful for.

After leaving PwC and returning home to Monaghan, I rediscovered my alter ego as a Postman and continued to work full-time. At this stage, however, I was missing the buzz of Consulting and the feeling of satisfaction after impressing a client. That’s where my journey with the ISCG began. I reached out to the team with the view to set up the ISCG’s first branch north of the border, at Queen’s and was welcomed with open arms. Since becoming the Branch Founder and first President of the ISCG at Queen’s, I have become an Executive Committee Member for the national team. I have also worked on the ISCG Expansion Project and I am now leading a fascinating market research and feasibility study with Nú Infusions, a company offering an alternative to Irish consumers in the tea and coffee market.

The experience so far at the ISCG has complimented my time as an Industry Professional and I look forward to carving out a name for myself as a Consultant in the coming years. Long-term, there is no plan, however, I am thoroughly enjoying my experience of Consulting to-date. On a personal note, 2020 has been an extremely difficult year for myself and my family but the world of Consulting has afforded me an outlet to express my thoughts and explore new ideas in a manner that has allowed me to achieve a balance. To anyone reading this and wondering whether or not a career in Consulting is for them, the ISCG is here for you.

Keep up-to-date with me on LinkedIn or alternatively, reach out to me at pmeehan04@qub.ac.uk.

About the Author

Pádraig Meehan is a BSc Economics with Finance student at Queen’s University Belfast. He interned with PwC as a Strategy & Government and Health Industries, Strategy Consultant He is also the Irish Student Consulting Group QUB Project Lead and Branch Founder