Summer intern Review

I really enjoyed my internship - it was an amazing learning experience as I got to see what kind of work I will do in this industry and how it ties in with everything I have learnt at university. Everyone was incredibly friendly and I felt motivated to go to work every day!

Everyone appreciated the work I contributed and always took the time to explain to me anything I was not clear on. When my work was checked, people were very willing to give me both positive and constructive feedback, which was extremely useful for my learning process.

My manager was incredibly supportive towards my learning and development, and gave really good advice on how to improve. We had catch up sessions every week where we discussed my progress and he always made sure that I was getting involved with work that was fulfilling and meaningful. If I wanted to try something different, he would always try to help make it happen, which I really appreciate.

I was never overloaded to the point that I had to stay extra hours, which was great. I felt the balance was pretty reasonable as I did have lots to get on with, although occasionally I did have to ask for more work to do. On my really busy days, I had to make sure I finished everything by the deadline, but I was not under much pressure.

Although everything always gets thoroughly checked as part of the workflow process, I was responsible for a variety of work from creating spreadsheet templates to writing reports. The biggest responsibility however was for my project with another intern, as we were given the freedom to decide for ourselves the scope of the project and how we carry out the work.

I saw many links between the work I did and the things I have been learning about at university and/or will learn about in my final year, so my training will definitely help me understand better the concepts and how they are used in practice. I also developed softer skills in terms of communicating with different stakeholders and being adaptable with my way of working, which will be valuable for working as a consultant or in other actuarial work.

The atmosphere was great - it was a positive, supportive and non-intense environment to work in. People often chat at their desks and bring each other drinks. Also, there was almost always food to go around brought in by people who just came back from holiday, or for other celebrations.

I thought it was mostly well organised. The induction at the beginning of the internship was pretty standard and served as a good introduction to the company. Everyone was informed that we were starting and seemed prepared to get us involved with work. Throughout the internship there were various meetings set up accordingly for different things such as project discussions and catch up sessions, with maybe only one or two that did not go as planned.

The company definitely made an effort to help me with my personal development. If I voiced that I wanted exposure to a particular type of work, they would be willing to let me try something in that area. My team leader and manager always asked me if I was learning a lot and gave me a variety of things to do so that I could develop a range of skills, which I really appreciated.

If I started working here after graduation, I would definitely want to stay for at least a couple of years. I think it is a great place to pursue your career as the company is very supportive of learning and gaining experience, and the feedback process is also very thorough and helpful.

We went out together or sat in the kitchen with other colleagues all the time. Lunch break was always great as we not only talked about work but also about hobbies and other interests. After work we sometimes went for drinks at a nearby pub, which was a nice time to socialise with everyone.

Given that the company is located in the City of London, the cost of living and socialising is not going to be very cheap! However, if you are really desperate to save money, there is always Tesco and Sainsbury's nearby where you can grab a quick, cheap meal to eat.

Whenever there was a reason to celebrate (or maybe just when people felt like it!), we would go to the bar opposite where there is a great outdoor area so we can drink and chat to our hearts' content. It was not very frequent, but it was fine for me.

People often had sports activities where you could volunteer to participate, such as running. Sometimes people also organised activities for charity and fundraising, which is great as well. The social events were really great fun - I had an amazing time at the pub quiz as well as the cooking challenge.