Vacation Student - FS Audit Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at KPMG for the vacation programme. My colleagues were very helpful and friendly, while the work proved both interesting and, at times, challenging. The whole experience was great.

My colleagues were very welcoming and always ensured I was aware of my tasks and that I was coping with them. With every task my in-charge would explain with the specific piece of needed to be completed to ensure that I was aware of my role in the grander scheme of things, thus allowing me to feel valued throughout my time at KPMG.

I received constant feedback from both my manager and my in-charges based on the tasks I was completing, alongside my review meetings with my manager at the start, middle and end of my placement.

My 4 weeks at KPMG ensured I further developed my skill set, while also learning new systems and technologies. I am sure that both in my future studies and career I will look back on my vacation programme experience as incredibly beneficial.

The Vacation Programme is very well structured; from the application process and the induction to the four weeks in the office. At each stage, I felt there was the necessary guidance available to clarify any issues. Once in the office, I was able to navigate with ease various initial set-up tasks and training due to the structured layout of new joiner guidance. Even in the event where I was unsure of my next steps, colleagues were able to guide me, thus ensuring I achieved my objectives given to me at the induction.

The Glasgow office was very welcoming and friendly from the get-go. The office generally was quite a relaxed working environment, however, everyone still worked hard to complete their tasks. The balance enabled to enjoyed my time there to the fullest as I found it easy to both engage with my colleagues and complete task simultaneously.

At the induction, I was given objectives to aim for to ensure I was maximising my potential during the 4 weeks. Through these objectives, alongside my training modules, I was able to develop my skills and further my knowledge of the field.

Due to the time of year that I was in the office, my department didn't have as much client work as others, however, I was still able to be hands-on with different tasks and clients, while also being present at several meetings.

The insight proved what I had been told throughout the application process, especially the Launch Pad Day: that KPMG was a friendly, but hard-working environment. I was able to see that people are willing to help each other achieve their goals and ensure a very positive culture.

Although I had already decided on audit, my experience at KPMG has led me towards the area I was working on while there: Financial Services. The 4 weeks gave me great insight into the day-to-day tasks involved in the department and allowed me to develop an understanding of what the working on Financial Services audit is really like.

For my travel to the induction in Manchester, my travel expenses were reimbursed, while accommodation was already organised. As for the full 4 weeks, I was paid a reasonable amount for the work I completed.

I was able to meet various people in my team, from partners to graduate trainees. I was able to learn from them their experiences both within KPMG and more generally their whole career paths. I was also able to engage with other colleagues based in different offices across the world, for instance, Edinburgh and India, where I was able to fully understand the global reach of KPMG.

During my time at KPMG, there was a couple of social events I attended. Firstly, there was a department cricket game in Edinburgh between the Glasgow and Edinburgh offices. Through this, I was able to meet more colleagues and get to know those who I had already met in a more social setting. I also attended an intern social night organised by the Student Recruitment team, where I was able to socialise with others completing the vacation programme.

Through both talking to colleagues and researching in my own time, I was able to discover the wide array of clubs and societies set-up within KPMG. I was somewhat surprised at the variety of activities that can be taken part in.

Definitely! The whole experience at KPMG was enjoyable. It was perhaps a bit short, but it certainly gave me a good insight into a great firm. Everyone I met was friendly and willing to help with any issues I had. Overall, I couldn't recommend it enough.