Vacation Student - Audit Review

I enjoyed the insight. This was particularly because they ensured that I was put on a client almost immediately. I had two days of induction, and then on the Wednesday I was on a client site contributing to a project. This meant that my days on the programme have been spent doing work and adding value rather than watching other people work/ doing nothing. The work was interesting and allowed me to gain an insight into audit, though because of the job I was on this could become slightly repetitive at times and not overly interesting. All in all a good experience and insight into audit at KPMG that I would recommend to other people.

I was working in a team with two other people, which allowed me to get to know them well and feel comfortable at work. The fact I was working and contributing to a project meant I was adding value. The people at KPMG are great - very friendly, and if they know you're an intern will do their best to make sure you feel at home. You're never going to feel 'like family' in such a big company/ department after 4 weeks but I feel this was as good as it could be given the circumstances.

On your first day, you have a 'Values Day', where you are introduced to KPMG as a wider firm. This is ideal as it gives you an idea of what is expected of you and what you can expect from KPMG in return. On my second day, a graduate in audit gave us advice, teaching us how to do timesheets etc. However, the main strength of being at KPMG is that questions are encouraged by all - if you have a question anyone in your team is happy to help you out in any way they can.

I don't do an accounting and finance degree, so technical knowledge won't assist me in my degree. However, I'm sure it will come in useful if I continue and do the ACA qualification. There is no doubt that I have gained a lot of technical knowledge from this placement. There are also plenty of transferrable skills; such as client interaction and work with computer software, that always need nurturing and practising and will come in useful in later life.

Very well structured! There were a couple of days of induction, then straight to work, with the resourcing team in audit responsible for allocating you to a team. They also had a CSR day organised, giving you an insight to what you can do at KPMG beyond your usual job. I was always kept busy which was ideal, and I can't think of a way it can be improved upon. The length of 4 weeks also seemed very appropriate, I feel I have a good appreciation for what life and work is like at KPMG without the placement taking over my entire summer.

The atmosphere was very positive. Everyone who works there will tell you that the best thing about KPMG is the people, and I would say the same thing. Even when the work isn't too interesting or stimulating (and it won't always be in any job), the thing that makes the job enjoyable is the people you work with. There are also plenty of social events put on for you and other interns, which keeps the atmosphere positive and allows you to socialise people in a context outside of normal work.

I would answer this question pretty neutrally. Over a period of 4 weeks, it is not worth it for the firm to send you off to loads of training sessions. The best thing they could do (which is what they did do) is to throw you in the deep end and get you to learn on the job - people are always happy to answer questions if you ask. I did develop and learn a lot, but it wasn't through an obvious 'investment' in my training by the firm.

The insight was really helpful. Not only do you get the experience of working there for 4 weeks (which I feel is plenty of time to understand if you will enjoy working somewhere or not), but people are more than happy to answer any questions you have about working at KPMG. They don't lie to you, if there is something they find frustrating, they will tell you, but for everyone I have spoken to, anything they didn't like about working there was a tiny problem compared to the positive things about working there.

Again, 4 weeks is plenty of time to understand a company and how it operates. The first day you are there is a 'Values Day', which is essentially a day devoted to introducing you to KPMG and helping you understand the culture you are entering. You then have the rest of your internship to experience the culture first hand, seeing the way people interact with you and each other. I feel I have a really strong understanding of KPMG's culture and values as a result of this internship

As a result of this placement, I intend to continue working with KPMG and train to gain an accountancy qualification. From the people I've spoken to, it seems like an excellent career path, both in the short term and the long term. I have a great understanding of the culture of the company and the way it operates, and it has allowed me to decide that in the short term I want to be working at a Big 4 company.

I was paid a fair salary and reimbursed for mileage and lunches while I was out on site. When you are in the office, you also get a lunch allowance to use in the canteen, which contributes to food costs.

You had plenty of opportunity to talk to other employees while you were working, as the work is quite sociable. Similarly, there were events and drinks put on for interns so we were able to talk to each other and our experiences. The nature of the work also means that you were able to interact with senior members of the firm including partners. There is little more they could have done to provide opportunities for networking.

There is little more they could have done to provide opportunities for networking. There were plenty of social events put on for interns throughout the 4 weeks, and the activities you were doing were varied. Unfortunately I wasn't able to attend any socials within the audit team, but these were also on offer so there was plenty of opportunity to meet and talk to people outside your immediate team.

You get involved in a Corporate Social Responsibility day which is organised for you, which gives you an idea of the kind of thing you can do outside of work. You are also introduced to all of the employee networks that you can join, though the insight perhaps isn't quite long enough for you to really get fully involved in anything. However, were I to return to work full time, I know exactly what you can get involved in outside of work, which is the important thing to take away from the insight.

I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in pursuing accountancy as a career, or in taking the ACA qualification. It is an ideal length which means you still have a lot of your precious summer to do other things, but is long enough that you gain an insight into the firm and the kind of work you'll be doing. You'll have work to do so it's not an easy ride, but in terms of the value you get out of it, I doubt there are many better vacation schemes at the moment.