New immersive AI experience for graduates to build on PwC Australia’s upskilling drive
Wednesday, 10 June 2026
PwC Australia has announced that all graduates joining the Early Careers Program from 2027 will take part in a new flagship immersive AI experience, reinforcing the firm’s commitment to equipping its people with the technical capabilities and human skills to succeed in an AI-enabled workforce.
Over three days, graduates will build practical capability and learn to combine human judgement with AI in a professional services practice, with PwC Australia’s expert leaders guiding them through simulation exercises and hands-on work with real-life client scenarios.
Responsible AI use is at the core of the initiative, embedding the importance of human oversight in future practice and decision-making. These critical principles will underpin the safe, ethical, and compliant application of AI in client-facing and internal settings.
PwC Australia CEO, Kevin Burrowes, said an early investment in AI upskilling helps graduates build trusted habits that stay with them throughout their careers.
“Setting up our graduates with strong AI foundations accelerates their professional readiness and productivity as they join new teams. It also strengthens client confidence in the work we do and drives higher quality outcomes.”
“The graduates entering our firm today will define what we look like as a business tomorrow. The real value from AI will largely come down to how our people apply it, with responsible use at the core. That’s why an experience such as this is critical for long-term sustainability.”
Building an AI skills mix within trusted guardrails
As part of the immersive experience, graduates will be taught how to use firm approved AI tools such as M365 Copilot and ChatPwC in everyday work, in line with PwC Australia’s robust governance protocols. This will deepen their understanding of platform safety and sharpen their focus on protecting firm and client data.
Participants will come together in-person in Melbourne in February next year and use AI to solve problems, test diverse ideas, and learn from one another by collaborating in teams.
PwC Australia’s Chief People Officer, Karen Lonergan, said a future-ready workforce must have the right mix of technical fluency and human skills to enhance AI outcomes and value.
“AI isn’t a standalone tool. It’s most powerful when our people are at helm, and that includes the firm’s newest team members.”
“Capability is just as important as demonstrating critical thinking and confidence in practice. We are giving our graduates the baseline to combine AI insights with their own judgements.”
AI is enriching the graduate experience by reducing routine, time‑intensive tasks and creating more opportunities to focus on their professional skills development and meaningful client engagements. As a result, they’re able to step into higher‑value work earlier in their careers.
AI upskilling a continuous learning journey
The immersive AI experience for graduates will form part of PwC Australia’s broader investment in AI upskilling across all levels of the firm and complements existing development pathways in early careers.
These include access to the AI Learning Foundations curriculum to improve baseline fluency, structured learning and support from team leaders across all lines of service, and access to trusted AI platforms.
“This new course is the starting point of a continuous AI learning journey that will help our people keep up as AI evolves,” Mr Burrowes said.
“We’re focused on ensuring humans remain at the centre of all AI-enabled work, so we’re amplifying their capability at every opportunity.”
Karen Lonergan added that the best way to navigate the AI-era is by building a workforce that’s adaptable, resilient, and future-ready.
“Our graduates join us full of energy and ambition, but with fair questions about what their careers might look like in an AI‑enabled world. Our role is to create an environment where they can grow and work alongside AI in a practical and empowering way.”
Read more about PwC Australia’s comprehensive firmwide AI upskilling drive here.
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