Audit Intern Review

It was excellent - I got a deep insight into Aviva as a company and audit in particular. From the very beginning when I received an invite to my internship to when I left the office for the last time, I felt supported the entire way. I would 100% recommend the insight based on enjoyability and hands on experience. For instance, when I first started my internship, we were introduced to al areas of the business and other interns.

Aviva treats all of its employees like one big family and I got the sense that we as interns were valued because of the unique skillsets/experiences we brought. I also think that the variety of divisions in which interns were placed created an interesting environment where we were seen as being able to offer something to the firm. There is a vast number of areas that Aviva works across - from insurance to audit, which helps everyone to appreciate each other's input

Lots of training given that for many people, this was their first formal work experience programme. This included Microsoft Office training to public speaking, and we were also encouraged to learn on the job/ask as many questions as we saw fit to our respective teams. Moreover, we were asked at the beginning of the programme about what specific training we would like to gain. Throughout my internship, I was also given a lot of feedback.

Fairly busy

A fair amount

Massively - I've learnt to improve my time management, to communication orally as well as in writing, and to in general act professionally. This will help me to find a graduate job because although I have decided that audit is not for me, it helps that I have at least one professional services related internship. There is also a high degree of transferability between the skills required to be a successful auditor and those required to perform other professional service jobs.

Excellent - all employees and interns gave me the impression that Aviva is a great environment to work in. This was helped by the regular interactions with my team as well as other divisions within the firm, both within the workplace and outside of work through the various social events they organised for us. There was even an opportunity to meet internal colleagues, albeit remotely, which gave me an insight into the sheer scale of the firm.

Very well structured - I felt as though the insight programme was designed to 'sell' the firm to all interns, and being well structured only increased the chances of that happening. The structure was present from the interview stage to the very end - we were well informed about relevant deadlines during the interview process, and in the internship itself. At the end, I was given a lot of support to build connections with various people at Aviva.

A lot - they provided a decent number of instructive courses on both technical and non-technical aspects of the job. There was also a lot of training on applying for roles in professional services for those who did not want to take up a full-time offer. This showed to me that they really valued our development. It also showed that they did not treat us as people who would just take the skills we learnt and use them elsewhere.

Future employment prospects at Aviva are very appealing because taking on a position at Aviva or any professional services firm is a great way to expose oneself to the way that a top company operates. You not only learn about how Aviva are so successful and their way of working, but also potentially have an opportunity to develop transferrable skills that can be used across any line of the business, whether it is insurance or audit.

They were ample opportunities in work to build connections. During most weeks there were informal network opportunities and we also had two days' worth of paid charity work, where each division within the company nominated to work at a charity in London. This for me really 'humanises' the company and showed its commitment to corporate responsibility. Outside of work, we also had an opportunity to attend very social events, including races for life and bowling trips.

Decent because I was in Norwich, which was a cheaper place to work than London. There were a lot of cheap supermarkets and places to rent on a short term basis which brought down the cost of living. Norwich is not particularly well known for its nightlife but Yarmouth is fairly popular, being close by and only a short bus ride away. Some of the attractions there were more expensive, particularly nights out and drinks.

Good

Yes - there are all sorts of events from sports to paintballing and theatre/museum trips. Aviva encourage employees to suggest out-of-work society ideas, so there is in theory something for everyone to get involved in. I get the impression that there is a high take up of these opportunities among their employees as there is a diverse background amongst its employees, which encourage people to enjoy each other's company. There was a welcoming atmosphere for fellow interns to take parts.