Pensions Actuarial Intern Review

I really enjoyed my internship with KPMG. I developed a lot of new skills and gained a better understanding of what it’s like to work in the pensions industry as an actuary. I would definitely recommend the internship to anyone interested in working in the actuarial field, as it allows you to find out much more about the industry than you can purely by internet research. Overall, the internship was a really positive experience.

My colleagues always made me feel like part of the team. If a piece of work I had contributed to was being discussed by the client team, I was invited to take part in the discussions. Also, the contributions I had made to pieces of work were always recognised.

I had regular catch-up meetings where I got some general feedback, although a lot of the feedback I got was specific to a task I had just completed. I was also supported by the new graduates in the office who were always willing to help with my general queries; how to use the company’s computer programs, where to find client files, etc.

My workload varied, as did the types of tasks I was being set. The training sessions I received at the start of my placement meant I became equipped to take on some more technical tasks early in my internship. I was given ongoing training as I was set new tasks. This meant that I was always occupied on meaningful work.

As I gained more experience I was given more responsibility. Even from the beginning of the internship I was given tasks to complete on my own, though I was given detailed instructions on what was required of me. I was involved in actual client work from an early stage in my internship.

As I would like to train as a pensions actuary after I graduate, the skills I gained will be very useful. I have enhanced my time management skills during the placement which will help me to be more confident in meeting deadlines during the final year of my degree course. The team work and collaboration skills I have developed will complement my degree studies too.

Everyone was really friendly and willing to assist you if you had any questions. During my internship, there was a community day where I was able to work with my colleagues outside of the office. This gave me the great opportunity to see all members of the team working together and to get to know some of the people who I hadn't been working with.

The training was well organised and included an induction event. As part of the internship I also had the opportunity to work shadow senior members of the staff in the department, including observing a client meeting.

There was a centralised induction event in London on the first day which gave me information about working for KPMG. Once in the office, I had several sessions in which I learnt about the basics needed. I found the training on Microsoft Excel especially useful for my six weeks in the office and beyond!

I would really like to work for KPMG in the future. The experiences I’ve gained during my placement have made the prospect of working for KPMG even more appealing.

There were regular opportunities to socialise with my colleagues, for example the graduates who joined the office most recently organised an event so the interns could get to know everyone in the department. In addition to this, there were many occasions where people went out lunch, giving me an excellent opportunity to get to know people better.

Socialising in Leeds isn’t very expensive. I didn’t live in the city and found that commuting added to my living expenses. The subsidised canteen made the cost of living seem more affordable.

There is varied nightlife in Leeds. Whenever I went out during my placement, it wasn’t particularly expensive.

There were social events during the evenings. As I’ve already mentioned, there was a social to help the interns to get to know the rest of the department as well as meals out with the team.