PwC is redesigning its training programs to prepare junior accountants to function like managers—right from the start.
The move comes as artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly automates routine tasks such as data entry, audit execution, and compliance checks, traditionally assigned to entry-level staff.
According to Jenn Kosar, PwC’s AI Assurance Leader, the firm is responding to a future where junior hires will no longer perform basic tasks but instead oversee AI systems that do.
“People are going to walk in the door almost instantaneously becoming reviewers and supervisors,” Jenn told Business Insider.
AI Redefining Entry-Level Work at PwC
PwC, one of the Big Four accounting firms, is deploying AI to handle repetitive and manual processes, freeing up human talent for higher-value activities like strategic advisory and complex problem-solving.
Jenn noted that within three years, junior accountants will be functioning more like fourth-year professionals, taking on responsibilities that previously required years of experience.
This shift is not just about technology—it’s about redefining career trajectories.
Where PwC once trained new hires to execute audit tasks, it now focuses on fundamentals of client service, critical thinking, and professional skepticism.
These soft skills, previously reserved for later stages of career development, are now being taught upfront.
PwC Back to Basics: Training for Oversight and Strategy
The firm’s training overhaul emphasizes leadership, oversight, and ethical judgment.
Jenn explained that junior employees must now learn to review and supervise AI outputs, ensuring accuracy and integrity in automated processes.
This requires a deeper understanding of audit principles and the ability to challenge assumptions—skills that are central to managerial roles.
PwC’s internal programs now allocate more time to negotiation techniques, strategic thinking, and client engagement, preparing junior staff to handle complex scenarios and lead teams.
The firm is also integrating AI education into its core curriculum, ensuring that employees understand both the capabilities and limitations of the tools they’ll be working with.
Industry-Wide Implications
PwC’s transformation is part of a broader trend across the Big Four.
Firms like Deloitte, EY, and KPMG are also scaling back graduate hiring as AI takes over entry-level functions.
Graduate job listings in accountancy have dropped significantly, and offshoring is further reducing domestic opportunities.
This raises questions about the future of career progression in accounting.
With fewer traditional entry points, firms must rethink how they develop the next generation of partners and leaders.
PwC’s approach—accelerating skill development and shifting responsibilities earlier—may offer a blueprint for others navigating the AI transition.
Assurance for AI: A New Business Frontier
PwC’s internal changes are mirrored in its client-facing services.
The firm recently launched an “Assurance for AI” product to help businesses adopt AI responsibly.
This offering audits AI models for safety, bias, and performance, and reflects the growing demand for trust and transparency in AI deployment.
Kosar, who previously led PwC’s digital assurance division, now heads this initiative.
She believes AI will ultimately lead to better-informed professionals and more insightful auditing, rather than diminished human judgment.
“We will actually get to a better place in terms of how auditing works,” she said.
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