The CEAT program is structured to support talented and engaged students with a particular focus on topics of accounting and taxation with their academic and professional profile. To offer interested people and groups a first insight into CEAT, we have asked current and former members four questions about the program. You can find the complete experience reports below. Please note that all experience reports were originally written and published in German and translated afterwards.

Experience Report by Aileen Aringsmann

Hello, my name is Aileen. I am 24 years old and currently writing my master's thesis at the Institute of Accounting and Taxation. I have been a participant in the CEAT program since October 2019.

• Find Aileen's Experience Report Here

  Why did you decide to join CEAT?

  In addition to the theoretical contents of my studies, I always find it exciting to get to know different companies and see how the work processes differ there. Even though my focus is on tax consulting, I like to gain insights into other areas as well. I also hoped to be able to build up a network, especially with regard to a potential employer, and to get in touch with other students.

   

  Which CEAT event has fascinated you the most so far?

  I was most excited about the event organized with HLB Schumacher. First of all, the area of taxes was exactly my field of interest. Furthermore, I found the workshop exciting and got me a good picture of the work there in a short time, because the people involved also talked very openly and authentically about their everyday work and the interdisciplinary cooperation with other departments in the company.

  In addition, I am particularly grateful for the experience gained through the event with Flaschenpost, as I had never been able to gain insights into a startup before. The open and dynamic way of working there has remained positively in my memory.

   

  How have you been able to benefit from CEAT so far?

  The insights into the different companies – consulting as well as industrial companies, large corporations as well as medium-sized companies – helped me a lot in my decision regarding my job entry after the master's degree. In addition, the exchange with other students and employees of the university but also with the companies was simply a lot of fun.

   

  Would you recommend your fellow students to participate in the CEAT program?

  Yes, definitely, you don't get such exclusive insights elsewhere. In addition, you have a better chance of finding an internship or an entry-level position after graduation because you can contact the company representatives directly. Also, you gain valuable professional and personal knowledge through the program's events.

  _{This experience report was written in January 2022.}

Experience Report by Marleen Biesemeier

Hello, my name is Marleen, I am 22 years old and I am currently doing my master's studies in business administration with major accounting at WWU. I am a member of CEAT since April 2019.

• Find Marleen's Experience Report Here

  Why did you decide to join CEAT?

  After the first semesters of my bachelor's degree at WWU, I soon discovered my interest in tax-related topics. Consequently, I wanted to specialize in this area. The IUB's homepage then drew my attention to the CEAT program. CEAT was the perfect opportunity for me to develop both professionally and personally. The opportunities for close exchange in a small circle of "like-minded people" motivated me to apply.

   

  Which CEAT event has fascinated you the most so far?

  It is quite difficult to limit my answer to this question to one event. Among my favorite events are definitely the visit of the Signal Iduna Park with EY as well as the trip to the fiscal court of Münster. In addition to a very entertaining guided tour through the largest stadium in Germany, we received an excellent lecture from EY Dortmund, which later inspired me for my bachelor thesis topic. The visit to the fiscal court was also a highlight for me, as we were able to attend a court hearing, which gave us exciting insights into the procedures and workflows in a courtroom.

   

  How have you been able to benefit from CEAT so far?

  My membership at CEAT has helped me to find and strengthen my professional interests and my future career choice. In a casual atmosphere you have the opportunity to get to know a great variety of companies and make valuable contacts. The limited number of participants enables a much more personal exchange with professors and staff of the chair than is possible in lectures, which I think is very valuable, too.

   

  Would you recommend your fellow students to participate in the CEAT program?

  Absolutely! CEAT is a great variation and addition to the regular course of study. In addition to the theoretical content you gain in the lectures, CEAT also gives you the opportunity to gain practical experience through workshops. CEAT is definitely an enrichment for anyone interested in taxation and accounting, and I can definitely recommend everyone to apply.

  _{This experience report was written in November 2020.}

Experience Report by Marie-Christine Gräfin von Merveldt

Hi, I am Marie-Christine, 23 years old and a member of CEAT since April 2022. I started my Master’s with major and minor in Accounting in October 2022, after having already completed my Bachelor’s at WWU.

• Find Marie-Christine's Experience Report Here

  Why did you decide to join CEAT?

  After my interest in taxation sparked during my bachelor, I decided to write my bachelor thesis at the MIAT in cooperation with my working student position at Dr. von der Hardt & Partner. During my contact with the MIAT, I then became aware of the CEAT program and applied immediately.

   

  Which CEAT event has fascinated you the most so far?

  In addition to events such as those with Henkel, Curacon and KPMG, I was most excited about the event at Dr. von der Hardt & Partner because there, in addition to my participation as a CEAT member, I was also able to participate in the design of the event myself through my job as a working student. We prepared a real and current case of the firm as a basis for the workshop and solved it together with the students. Afterwards, there was a get together with drinks and snacks, where we were able to exchange ideas with our colleagues from vdH and I was also able to answer some questions of the CEAT members.

   

  How have you been able to benefit from CEAT so far?

  Since I have been a member of CEAT, I have met many new students who share my interest in tax and with whom I have been able to exchange ideas on a wide variety of topics. One benefits a lot from meeting the individual companies on a much more personal level and thus being able to network with the contact persons directly. The combination of such events with real-life case studies is particularly helpful in enriching the theory of my regular studies with current topics from the business world.

   

  Would you recommend your fellow students to participate in the CEAT program?

  Definitely! Besides gaining numerous impressions from a wide variety of companies, it also increases your own network and gives you opportunities to apply for certain internships or jobs. A significant advantage for me is that participation in the CEAT program ensures that you can get to know the companies without fear of contact, which is a decisive factor in how you can better plan your future career steps.

  _{This experience report was written in January 2023.}

Experience Report by Nico Klinger

Hello, my name is Nico and I am 26 years old. I studied business administration in bachelor and master at WWU. I was also a member of the CEAT program from 2020 to 2022. After completing my studies, I started at KPMG Bielefeld in Corporate Tax Services.

• Find Nico's Experience Report Here

  Why did you decide to join CEAT?

  At the beginning of my master's studies, it was already clear to me that I wanted to start my career in tax consulting. Therefore, not only did I choose many courses from the field of taxation, but I also wanted to learn more from the field in addition to the lectures. The CEAT program was the ideal complement to this, because it provides unique insights through several lectures and excursions each semester with practice partners that go far beyond the academic contents of my studies.

   

  Which CEAT event has fascinated you the most?

  I remember the excursion to Henkel in Düsseldorf the most. On site, we were able to gain deep insights into the multifaceted work of the tax department of a DAX company. In addition to the currently relevant tax topics, the processes within the tax department were clearly presented to us. In addition, the final tour of the company premises was very interesting.

   

  How have you been able to benefit from CEAT so far?

  Through CEAT, I was able to quickly gain an overview of how different companies and tax consulting firms operate taxation-wise. This has shown me once again the diversity of the tax world. In addition, I found the exchange with fellow students who were also interested in tax very pleasant. I am sure that the contacts I made with the practice partners and fellow students will also be helpful beyond my time in the CEAT program.

   

  Would you recommend interested students to participate in the CEAT program?

  Definitely. CEAT events provide a unique insight into the practice of taxation, which is difficult to get from lectures alone. The practice partners provide first-hand impressions. Every semester, the MIAT offers a varied and balanced program with lectures, excursions as well as networking parts, where there is something interesting for everyone. Regularly, the view is also directed beyond purely tax-related topics.

  _{This experience report was written in January 2023.}

Experience Report by Dennis Konrad

I'm Dennis Konrad and I used to do my master's studies in business administration with major and minor accounting at WWU between 2016 and 2019. During the same period, I was a happy and also proud CEAT member. After graduating, I founded the company ExpressSteuer in Hamburg with 3 other ambitious founders. With ExpressSteuer, we want to turn the unpopular topic of income tax declarations into a well loved one. We achieve this by enabling our clients to complete their tax declarations within 5 minutes but still profit from the expertise of a tax consultant.

• Find Dennis' Experience Report Here

  Why did you decide to join CEAT?

  Since I was already very enthusiastic about accounting and taxation during my bachelor's studies, I wanted to further deepen my knowledge in these areas. I was particularly interested in gaining insights into topics that are not necessarily dealt with in the lecture. In addition, the exchange with members of the CEAT program was (and still is) very important to me.

   

  Which CEAT event has fascinated you the most?

  I was most impressed by an event organized by a large consulting firm. The event showed us how tax processes can be automated using decision trees. This realization later encouraged me to build ExpressSteuer with the 3 other founders.

   

  How have you been able to benefit from CEAT so far?

  On the one hand, of course, through accounting- and taxation-specific first-hand expertise. All the presenters spoke passionately about their professional lives, which enabled me to build a bridge to practical experience. On the other hand, I also benefited greatly from the network I was able to build up with other students who have exactly the same interests as I do. The discussions that took place also inspired me beyond the CEAT program.

   

  Would you recommend interested students to participate in the CEAT program?

  Yes, definitely! The CEAT program is very diverse and offers interested students the opportunity to dive deeper into many different areas. I can therefore recommend CEAT without any restrictions.

  _{This experience report was written in November 2020.}

Experience Report by Anna Schweizer

Hello, my name is Anna. I am 22 years old and I am currently finishing my bachelor's degree with a focus on taxation and accounting at WWU. At the moment, I am doing a three-month internship at KPMG in Dusseldorf. I have been a member of CEAT since October 2020.

• Find Anna's Experience Report Here

  Why did you decide to join CEAT?

  After the tax lectures in the fourth semester aroused my interest in the subject, I decided to major in taxation and accounting. In order to add practical insights to the theoretical content of the lectures, I decided to apply to the CEAT program.

   

  Which CEAT event has fascinated you the most so far?

  I enjoyed the event with KPMG the most. We worked together on an interesting case study and the team gave us a lot of insights into their daily tasks and the work in a large consulting firm. The presentation by ExpressSteuer founder Dennis Konrad was also super interesting and opened up a whole new perspective on the tax world for me.

   

  How have you been able to benefit from CEAT so far?

  The team from KPMG convinced me so much in their presentation that I contacted one of the speakers afterwards to find out about internship opportunities. She helped me directly, forwarded my documents and, following an interview, I was accepted for the internship I am currently working in. Without CEAT and the direct contact to the team, this would definitely not have been possible so quickly and easily.

   

  Would you recommend your fellow students to participate in the CEAT program?

  Definitely. The program offers exciting insights into the work at large and small companies and thus a refreshing balance to your studies. In addition, the events offer great networking potential and the exchange with other interested students is very enriching.

  _{This experience report was written in January 2022.}