4 minute read

Kickstart your career: discover the Bright Development Programma at Deloitte

Jeffrey Liu & Sanne van Heijningen

In a dynamic work environment like Deloitte’s, continuous professional and personal growth is essential. The Bright Development Programme, an ambitious training programme within Deloitte Audit & Accountancy, helps employees develop from entry-level to managerial positions. 'It’s a great and valuable programme that not only broadens but also deepens your knowledge', say Sanne van Heijningen and Jeffrey Liu, both Senior Staff at Deloitte Audit & Assurance. 'We make full use of it.'

Divided into two parts, Bright Start and Bright Professional, the training programme takes you through your career path over six years. At Deloitte, we understand that each stage of your career brings unique challenges and opportunities. That's why our programme offers numerous valuable trainings in both hard and soft skills, tailored to what you need the most at that moment. These trainings are directly applicable in practice, enabling you to make an immediate impact. Additionally, our programme offers a unique opportunity: the option to choose a minor for the first three years. This allows our employees to influence their own career paths with subjects closely aligned to Deloitte's strategic goals. The available minor subjects include Data Analytics, IT Audit, Sustainability, and Project Management. Sanne (22) and Jeffrey (24) started the Bright Development Programme three years ago with clear expectations. For Sanne, who chose the Analytics minor, the goal was to gain in-depth knowledge of data analysis and data-driven auditing. 'I wanted to gain more insight into the many analytics approaches we can use in our projects', says Sanne. 'How can auditing financial statements be done more efficiently and effectively? What’s great is that I can apply what I learn in the minor directly to practice.'

'The programme gives you the opportunity to extensively exchange experiences and opinions with experts.'

Jeffrey Liu | Senior Staff, Audit & Assurance

Jeffrey chose the IT Audit minor and emphasises the value of the training sessions within the programme. 'The training sessions provide not only technical knowledge but also essential soft skills, such as expectation management, persuasion, and core qualities,' he says. One of his most memorable experiences was the presentation course. 'Although presenting might not have seemed directly relevant to my role at the time, I quickly realised how useful it is to learn this skill early on. The programme prepares you for future responsibilities.'

Application of learned skills

The knowledge and skills gained from the programme have already helped Sanne and Jeffrey in their daily work in various ways. Sanne shares how she applied methods from her Analytics minor to client projects: 'Thanks to the additional knowledge, I was able to bring in new ideas and contribute to more effective auditing processes. It’s fulfilling and shows that you’re truly valuable.' Jeffrey highlights how the programme has helped him gain more confidence in his IT audit tasks. 'Now that I’m following the IT Audit minor, I have a much better overall understanding of what I do during IT work. This gives me the confidence to critically assess existing methods and suggest improvements. In addition, sharing experiences with colleagues during the training sessions is invaluable. You get the opportunity to ask experts and senior managers extensive questions and exchange opinions with each other.'

Staying motivated and energised in your development

Sanne and Jeffrey agree that the Bright Development Programme plays an essential role in their continued careers at Deloitte. Sanne sees the programme as a path that helps employees grow to management level. 'The programme provides the skills you need to progress and helps you stay motivated and energised in your development.' This aligns seamlessly with Deloitte’s philosophy of 'Never stop growing.' 'Many people start young at Deloitte. I, for example, was 19 when I started as a working student at Deloitte. It means that as a starter, you still have a lot to learn. This programme offers exactly what’s still needed.'

'What I learn during my minor, I can apply directly to my client assignments.'

Sanne van Heijningen, Senior Staff, Audit & Assurance

Jeffrey notes that the structured setup of the programme ensures that employees keep developing, regardless of the demands of their daily work. 'This is one of the advantages of working at a large firm like Deloitte. You have access to a wealth of knowledge and the opportunity to expand your network. There’s so much knowledge within the different departments of Deloitte. With this programme, we step outside the boundaries of our own department.'

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