Senior Associate at PwC
The many opportunities she had to meet potential future employers and build networks while she was studying at the Business School were a big plus for Natacha Blidy.
Key facts
Career: Accounting
Programmes: Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Commerce (Honours)
Subjects: Accounting and Finance
“I chose to do my degree at the University of Auckland Business School because of its international ranking, as well as the quality of the education it could give me. I wanted to make sure my degree would have value outside New Zealand if I ever wanted to work abroad.
“Coming from French-speaking New Caledonia and having left all my friends and family to prepare for university here, the move to New Zealand was a hard, life-changing decision. I still remember vividly the first orientation day, a day full of mixed emotions. I was sitting in one of the biggest rooms I had ever seen in the Sir Owen G Glenn Building, not knowing anyone.”
I could hear my parents saying ‘FEAR either means Forget Everything and Run or
Face Everything and Rise’. I chose to do the latter.
“After that, I embraced many challenges while managing to find a balance between my studies and a social life. I had so many great experiences and could not have made a better decision than to be an Accounting and Finance student at New Zealand’s leading university.
“After graduating, I went through the internship application process for a few companies (including all the big four and a few other accounting firms), did an internship at PwC and got an offer for a graduate job at the end of my internship. The networking events at the University actually helped me make my choice in terms of where I wanted to work and for which organisation.”