Summer Vacaction Intern (Audit Associate) Review

It sounds cliché when you talk to employees at KPMG and they tell you how friendly the environment is but this is the genuine truth and the people here are what really made the internship incredibly enjoyable.

Everyone was warm and welcoming but most importantly thankful for the work I completed and gave me praise when it was due as well as tips on improvement to make future work I produced even better.

Whoever gave me a job would explain it to me thoroughly and make sure I understood and made time to answer any questions I had whilst I was completing the project.

I always had something to do and the work was incredibly varied, if I ever found myself without work I could either take the opportunity to clue up on some current affairs with the complimentary premium Financial Times online subscription they provide all employees including interns or just send out an email to the team/department I was in and within 5 minutes I'd be inundated with emails from colleagues with work which I could complete.

On my first day I made a presentation for a company which was the biggest in it's industry, I didn't believe they had actually given me this job so I googled the company to make sure... It was legitimate and after I finished the presentation the Partner in charge of managing this client's case thanked me for my work and invited me to sit in whilst he used it in his meeting with the client.

My introduction to a range of internet tools for financial, market and company analysis was invaluable and will surely be a great aid once I've graduated. There was also a training course in the Tax Business School which supplied me with a tonne of information to be able to make an impact from my first day in the office.

Everyone's got a lot of work to do but with the open plan of the office there's always a conversation going on to chime in on, regular tea trips and a good team spirit, especially with the cakes some employees were bringing in.

My internship was incredibly well organised, over the course of 6 weeks I was in 11 different teams which allowed me to get a taste of all of the different teams within my department so I could make a well informed choice for which I'd like to join upon graduating.

The entire first week was spent on business development and tax knowledge maximising the impact we as interns could make as soon as we started. They put us up in hotels for that week too which was a very welcome added bonus.

I really enjoyed working for the firm and would definitely be interested in a job once graduated. It's been great getting an insight into the profession and the firm. KPMG really cares about its staff and the strong support network within the firm is very apparent.

There was one other summer student completing a placement, who I had never met, despite attending the same University. It was nice starting with someone who was in the same position and the induction in Birmingham was a great way to meet other interns in the UK. Colleagues within my office were very sociable and we had a couple of nights out together. My second day in the office actually involved a day trip out to the Perth races which was the offices yearly day out!

As I attend University in the same location as I completed my internship I was able to stay in my University flat over my placement period. Similarly, I know the social scene so knew where the cheaper places were to go.

I would also not hesitate to recommend Leeds as a nightlife destination. There is a wide range of pubs, bars and clubs covering all bases. There is generally always at least a couple of clubs open every night that are offering student-friendly prices, as well as bars and pubs open every night.

The Human Resources team are fantastic, the amount of opportunities outside of work was overwhelming, truly something for everyone.