Assurance Senior, EY
As a member of the Professional Program in Accounting, Brittany Weber graduated with a BS in accounting in spring 2014 and an MS in accounting in spring 2015. Through the PPA recruitment process, she was able to secure an internship and later a full-time offer from EY.
After graduation, she started at EY full time in Assurance Services in the Dallas office. After her first year, she transferred to the Washington, D.C., office. During her time in the Dallas and D.C. offices, she was able to work for both public and private clients in diverse industries, including aerospace and defense, technology, professional services, and media and entertainment. She also was able to gain experience on unique and challenging clients— those with multi-year restatements, multiple material weaknesses, Chapter 11 bankruptcy, emergence and fresh-start accounting, carve-out audits, first-year audits, mergers and acquisitions, and more.
Each experience allowed her to continuously learn and realize that she had a strong desire to work abroad. By May 2019, she had moved to Amsterdam, to complete a two-year rotation with EY in Assurance Services. Since she has been in the Netherlands, she has grown personally and professionally. She looks forward to her last year working abroad and continuing her career with EY U.S. when she moves back in May 2021.
Hayes is grateful for the UT Dallas Accounting Area because it was the building block to achieve her future goals.
Why did you come to choose the UT Dallas Accounting Program?
I grew up in the Dallas area and knew in my senior year of high school that I wanted to go into accounting. However, I wasn’t sure what that meant in terms of future career opportunities. I then learned about the UTD Accounting program and PPA. The idea that this program would provide opportunities for a career in public accounting and prepare me to become licensed as a CPA in a relatively short period of time is what really drew me in.
What is your best learning experience at UT Dallas?
My best learning experiences at UT Dallas were the PPA cohort classes. We became a very tight-knit group, and I loved having smaller classes. The smaller class sizes also allowed me to get to know my professors. I felt comfortable asking questions in class or stopping by their office to just chat. One specific memory I have was the case-study competition in Intermediate Financial Accounting II. Through this case study, we had the opportunity to show our accounting knowledge and creativity through a presentation to a panel of partners from the various public accounting firms that were recruiting UTD students. I am proud to say that my team was able to pull out a win and that we got great exposure to the professionals on the panel!
Since graduation, what surprised you about your UT Dallas education?
I was pleasantly surprised by how well prepared and equipped I was to begin my career. Our time at UTD was truly setting us up for future success.
One thing that stands out to me is how well prepared our students are when it comes to taking the CPA exams. In PPA, we spend a full semester in school to prepare and sit for the exams so that we can be finished before starting work. This is a huge advantage because studying for the exams is a full-time job, and I cannot imagine having to work and still study for the exams. Most of our students are able to complete the exams before starting work, which really allows us to fully focus on our careers.
In addition, I have also been surprised by the reputation that UTD has with employers and fellow co-workers. I have a friend here in Amsterdam who came from the Austin, Texas, EY office. When I told him I graduated from UTD, he couldn’t stop raving about how great all his staff and seniors from UTD are!
What advice do you have for college students looking to succeed professionally?
My biggest piece of advice is to be eager to learn and willing to help your teams in any way. Approach each day with a positive attitude and don’t be afraid to take on new challenges.
Throughout my career, I’ve been placed with clients that aren’t as “appealing” because of how challenging they are, but this is how I’ve been able to learn so much in a short period of time.
My interns/staff who impress me the most are those who are able to take instruction and have a positive attitude regardless of the task given to them. Trust the process at your company and you will be able to continuously grow as you move along in your career.
