In 2023, EY built its immersive virtual career centre, Adventure Awaits, where entry-level talent could build employability skills and learn more about the company. It wanted to stand out in the crowded graduate recruitment market by delivering a distinctive new campus event design, busting misconceptions about working in professional services.

This year, it took this a step further by bringing Adventure Awaits into every stage of the recruitment process – from its immersive campus event, to engaging digital content, the EY Assessment Experience Day and pre-boarding. This meant candidates could review relevant content, better prepare for assessments and the playing field would be more level. The event uses VR and AR technology to enable students to explore careers. Students joined the Talent Community before playing the AR experience and were invited to enter a competition to win an adventure holiday, which led them through the Adventure Awaits platform.

They scanned a QR code to bring the ‘island’ to life, and could grow a digital tree that would reveal a prize (with EY planting an actual tree for each AR interaction). Students were asked three questions about the platform and then entered into the prize draw. EY kept up communication with all entrants through targeted emails including wellbeing resources and application support tips. After visits to 23 universities, the campaign achieved a high ratio of registrations to application and an impressive number of offers.