Rea & Associates Internship Program Increases Capacity, Reinforces Structure
New Philadelphia, Ohio – Sooner or later we all come to the realization that securing our own professional success is heavily dependent on whether or not we have taken the steps to prepare ourselves to rise to the occasion. Rea & Associates, a regional accounting and business consulting firm, is committed to providing ambitious up-and-comers with the hands-on training and real-world experience they need to put themselves on the path toward success. This year, in preparation for the 2017 tax season, the firm welcomed 19 college interns to the Rea team – up from 16 in 2016.
“That’s a large group for firm of our size,” said Renee West Rea’s human resources manager. “On average, each office will work with two interns and our larger offices will work with three. This is also the first year that we were able to bring on a “non-accountant’, which, I believe, really speaks to our firm’s culture. A lot of people with a lot of varying skill-sets are being drawn to Rea.”
This year, every intern will work one-on-one with a “buddy” who has been assigned to help structure their workload exposure with the goal of providing each intern with the experience they had hoped to obtain over the course of the program. Office managers and buddies worked together to prepare specialized Internship Action Plans to allocate how much time would be spent on each career focus, and how much time would be committed to seeking out real-world career immersion opportunities, such as sitting in on a client visit or attending a networking function.
In addition to monthly meetings held with each intern to identify their progress and to address their questions or concerns, West says office managers and buddies will touch base with Rea’s HR department to promote ongoing communication and constant improvement of the program.
“We want to provide our interns with a well-rounded experience,” West explained. “Sure, there will be some work involved, but there’s no question that we like to have a lot of fun along the way.”
Rea & Associates operates 11 offices across the state of Ohio. This year’s spring interns, and their offices, are: Alex Bixler, Hannah Hunter and Brock Ritter, Dublin; Shanna Farler and Mitchell Huffman, Lima; Sean Clemons, Marietta; Jessica Syme and Layne Wemhoff, Medina; Ryan Gambatesa and Michael Schafer, Mentor; Grant Hay and Shane Shertzer, Millersburg; Dylan Gardner, Hanna Fisher and Richard McEwan, New Philadelphia; Tonya Beachy and Timothy Dimitroff, Wooster; and Spencer Gibbs and Erika Winland, Zanesville.
Rea’s spring internship program began Jan.11, in New Philadelphia for the first day of a two-day orientation program. Prior to arriving, all interns received a copy of The Rea Advantage, the firm’s strategic plan, to gain a better sense of Rea’s culture, objectives and initiatives. In addition to receiving an introduction to the firm, interns were trained on a variety of soft skills as well as general insight to various technical disciplines practiced throughout the firm. The group also attended an evening networking event where participants of the program could engage with current Rea employees and firm leadership over bowling and pizza.
This year’s spring internship program is set to conclude on April 19. Dates and details are still being finalized for the firm’s summer internship program, but those interested are encouraged to send their resumes and a letter of interest to human.resource@reacpa.com. Recruitment for next year’s tax season internships will take place March through September. Download the firm’s Internship Guide to discover what to expect as a Rea intern.