Expedition EY: What, Who, & Why

Expedition EY is a program for freshmen and sophomores who identify as Black, Latinx, and Native American and want to learn about a career in consulting. The Expedition EY program is similar to other consulting firm’s diversity programs for freshmen and sophomores. However, the big distinction is the Expedition EY program is not a formal summer internship program. Rather, the program provides supplemental support for diverse students. Specifically, the program provides education, mentorship, and networking opportunities to its participants.

If you haven’t heard of Expedition EY, you are not alone. The inaugural program was launched in the spring of 2021 with 460 students.

This article will share more about the Expedition EY program, the Expedition EY tracks, and who should apply to the program.

What is Expedition EY?

Expedition EY prides itself on being more than just a course you can take on demand on Zoom or watch on YouTube. Instead, Expedition EY is an interactive, virtual program that brings together a few different components:

• On demand learning modules which are gamified and tailored to your learning objectives; types of modules can include: how to ace your virtual interview, how to improve your presentation skills, and how to be more mindful
• Tasks that leverage the skills you learn in the on demand learning modules
• Exercises that are supposed to encourage team camaraderie
• Networking opportunities with both EY professionals and your fellow peers

In addition, top performers have opportunities to be awarded scholarships. However, EY does not specify what percentage of participants actually receive the scholarship or the amount of the scholarship.

Following the Expedition EY program, you will not only learn technical skills but you will also learn more about the type of work EY does and what it means to work at EY.

Expedition EY is not a formal internship program. Rather, it runs seasonally during the school year, which enables more flexibility.

Expedition EY Tracks

There are two Expedition EY tracks: the Expedition EY Technology Track and the Expedition EY Business Track. Both the Expedition EY Technology Track and the Expedition EY Business Track both provide the opportunity to take tailored on-demand learning modules. However, the curriculum for these tracks differ, with the Technology Track including more technical skills versus the Business Track (e.g., machine learning and predictive analytics). Given the different curriculums, EY targets different profiles for each track – see more details below!

Should You Apply?

Given the Expedition EY program is not a formal internship program you need to commit a full summer to, the barriers to applying for the Expedition EY program are relatively low. Even if you do not foresee yourself working at EY in the long-run, it can still be helpful to apply to the program. Reasons to apply include:

• Learning more about consulting
• Gaining valuable experience that you can add to your resume
• Practicing interviewing with a reputable consulting firm
• Building your network early on in college
• Gaining new skills through the program’s learning and development sessions
• Understanding if you want a long-term career at EY

In addition, given this may be one of your first purviews into the professional field, it is helpful to get exposure to a bunch of different types of experiences to hone in what you are passionate about and rule out what you are less passionate about.

Given the Expedition EY program is a diversity-oriented program, there are a few application requirements:

• Identify as Black, Latinx, Native American, female, trans, or nonbinary
• Be three or more years away from graduation
• For the Expedition EY Business Track: Intend to pursue a degree in Accounting, Economics, Finance, Math, Statistics or a related subject
• For the Expedition EY Technology Track: Intend to pursue a degree in a technology-related field (such as Analytics, Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, Engineering or Management Information Systems)

Conclusion

If you are a college freshman and a diversity candidate, you should strongly consider applying to Expedition EY. Expedition EY provides participants the opportunity to broaden their skills through on demand learning modules, and broaden your network with both top performing candidates and EY professionals. There are also scholarship funds that may be available for top performers – however, the amount of scholarship funds are not disclosed. There are two tracks you can apply to for Expedition EY: the Expedition EY Business Track and the Expedition EY Tech Track.

The EY Expedition program can set you up well for a future career at EY or in consulting. To learn more about  EY, please see the Management Consulted firm profile here.

 

Additional Resources:

• Top Sophomore Summer Internships for Consulting
• Virtual Internships: How To Prepare
• Consulting Resume: Complete Guide
• Case Interview: Complete Prep Guide