Getting involved: How it helped me

Excellent qualifications and proven academic achievements go a long way in the struggle to find a job. But do softer skills and a track record of getting involved in wider issues offer any substantial, quantifiable benefits? Two former chairs of the ISC (ICAEW student Council) share their experiences and views.

Jessica Rutland

‘I got involved with ISC through the Chartered Accountants Student Society of London ( CASSL) – which was the best support group I could have asked for during my exams!
Whilst Vice Chair of CASSL Jessica applied for ICAEW Student Council (ISC) Chair and was voted in by her fellow ISC representatives.

‘During my time I was keen to increase student engagement across the country through non-social events such as the case study revisions sessions now popular in many societies. Also, I’m passionate about diversity in the industry and making the profession accessible to everyone and encouraged everyone to attend school or University fairs to spread the word that the ACA is for everyone and anyone. The most important take-away from my time on ISC was the people I worked with. I’ve met the future leaders of the profession as well as the current leaders and through our combined efforts we can impact change and ensure our voices are heard’.

Jessica chaired the ISC for a year from’. 2017-2018

Esther Leung

‘I initially became involved with the local student society in Bristol (Bristol and District Chartered Accountant Students’ Society - BADCASS). I’ve always loved organising social events to bring people together and with the help of the committee, we held regular socials throughout the year. Involvement in BADCASS, and later becoming Chair, paved the way to ICAEW Student Council (ISC)’. Esther chaired the ISC for a year from 2018- 2019.

My main motivation for running as ISC Chair was to foster further collaboration between student societies, as I saw how we all experienced similar challenges at different times and could share our learnings to create stronger student societies locally and ultimately better the individual ICAEW student experience. My involvement in ISC has been invaluable for developing new skill sets and provided me with the opportunity to develop professional relationships with peers and senior professionals from a range of backgrounds. I am incredibly thankful for everything ISC has enabled me to be involved with and cannot recommend it enough; it has been greatly beneficial for my professional development and it is incredibly rewarding to know that your contribution can make a positive impact to future students’.