Camira Govender is a Senior on our EY Ireland Financial Services Assurance team. Born and raised in Durban, South Africa, Camira joined our team in October 2021. Learn more about Camira’s story and what Assurance Careers in EY Ireland Financial Services look like below.
Throughout my life, I’ve always had a love for numbers and reading. When it comes to numbers, there is always a solution. Numbers are logical and always make sense. Reading, on the other hand, speaks to my adventurous side. Books and stories allow me to explore and visit the places I’ve always dreamed of or imagined in my mind.
In high school, when I was figuring out what I wanted to do in my career, my goal was to find something that combined my love of numbers with the ability to visit all the places I had spent so long reading about in books. That’s when I came to Accounting. From there, I started working towards becoming a Chartered Accountant and obtaining the CA(SA) designation.
I began the 7-year process to obtain my CA(SA) once I left high school. I first went to the University of KwaZulu-Natal where I completed a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting. After this, I progressed to my postgraduate, obtaining my Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting studies. After university, I secured a traineeship in another firm and stayed there for just over three years. During that time, I gained cross industry experience with clients that ranged from Manufacturing, Telecommunications, Construction to Logistics and Banking.
Although I had never lived outside of Durban, my dream and overall goal once I achieved my CA(SA) designation was to work in Dublin and travel to Ireland. My love for Ireland started with my love of reading. Through books, I was afforded glimpses into a country that is steeped in history. I wanted to experience this first-hand and immerse myself in the local culture. I had only ever lived in a residential suburb on the coast in SA, so the idea of living in Dublin was so exciting to me. I wanted to experience the hustle and bustle of living in a city first-hand, while also keeping that feeling of home by living by the coast.
In May 2021 overseas opportunities started opening and I quickly began searching and applying for positions in Financial Services. Financial Services was an area I had been exposed to in the past, but I wanted to gain more experience in the field. The opportunity to achieve my goal came in the form of a Senior Associate role in EY Ireland Financial Services. It was a no brainer for me. I accepted the offer in June 2021 and began the move to Ireland in October 2021.
I wasn’t nervous about the move at all. This was a dream I had held onto for years, so I was extremely excited. I had kept in contact with some old colleagues who had moved across to Ireland too, so I was lucky to have them to guide me through it and show me the ropes.
One thing that I dreaded was the administrative side – like getting my work permit, setting up a bank account, registering for a PPS Number, registering with Revenue, registering for my Residence Permit and finding accommodation. But I didn’t need to stress. The EY Ireland Onboarding team were very supportive. They provided guidance on all the above, responded to my queries and gave me status updates every two weeks. In the end, it took three and a half months for my work permit to come through, and once it did, the moving process happens very quickly.
I’ve been here for four months now and I have enjoyed immersing myself in a place so full of heritage, history and culture. Everybody is very friendly and they are always willing to help if you have any questions. There’s such a fantastic atmosphere and energy in our team. Everyone is motivated and enjoys learning new things or finding more efficient ways to complete tasks. They also love to have a bit of fun! I tend to be quite serious during team catch ups, so it’s good to have team members who remind me to prioritise connection and have a laugh throughout the day. The team is so diverse and our different personalities balance each other out quite well. They have been amazing in helping me settle in.
My advice to anyone going through this move, or thinking about doing it, is to plan and make lists. It takes a bit of time to get everything settled, but once everything falls into place you can relax, enjoy exploring the city and start making Dublin your new home away from home.
Good luck! If you have any questions, please reach out!
We are currently recruiting for several positions within our Assurance team across all levels. To learn more about Assurance Careers in EY Financial Services Ireland, read our People Stories here and explore our current vacancies here. You can also check out our Assurance Mobility Hub here.
