Actuarial and Benefits summer student Review

Everyone was really friendly and I was made to feel like part of the team straight away. I was given proper work on my first day and it was great to get straight into it. I have had the chance to work with a variety of clients completing a range of different tasks, giving me an all round experience. I was given a lot of responsibility and challenged reasonably.

I felt very valued by my colleagues. They were all very welcoming and made me feel part of the team straight away. Everyone was happy to spend 10 minutes or so explaining something to me if I needed help. During my placement I was invited by my colleagues to various social events outside of work, making me feel like a valued member of the team and really respected. I really enjoyed getting to know some of my colleagues more personally and this has been a fantastic part of my experience.

I had weekly meetings with my intern lead where we discussed the progress of my project, the work I had been doing and she made sure I had enough work for the following week to keep me busy. She always asked if I had any problems that I wanted to discuss and was happy to assist with any queries I had. I knew that I could approach her at any time if I had a problem and she was very helpful in assisting me when I did face a problem. I had a monthly review where I received feedback on my progress so far which I found very useful and an end of placement review where I received more feedback. I also received feedback on a presentation I did which was really useful.

For the first couple of weeks of my internship I was very reliant on my mentor to give me work to do and as a result, I wasn't that busy as he didn't always have work that I could assist him with. However, as my internship progressed, I began to do different tasks for a couple of clients and had a steady flow of work from a range of different people. If I did ever run out of work then I spoke to my intern lead and she either gave me a task to do or sent out an email to the team reminding them that I was there to help if they needed it.

I feel like I was given quite a lot of responsibility during my placement. I was asked to complete a range of tasks for a variety of different clients. I completed many calculations for scheme members and sent them off with my name on the email which made me feel very responsible. I was given my own project to work on which spanned the whole duration of the internship and was completely my own responsibility. I was required to keep my intern lead up to date with the progress I was making on my project and inform her of any problems I was having.

I have learned a lot about the career and how a corporate environment operates and this will be very useful for my future career as an actuary. The training I have received in calculations, technical knowledge, the software used and Microsoft Excel has been excellent and I know it will benefit me beyond my degree studies. Some of the technological skills I have developed such as Microsoft Excel skills will assist me in my degree studies when I return to university. Also, through preparing my own presentation, this will assist me with my dissertation when I return to university as I am required to deliver a small presentation and before starting my internship, this was something I had not done before.

The atmosphere of the office was very friendly and my colleagues were more than happy to help if I needed it. Everyone was very approachable. The noise levels were good - not deadly quiet but not too loud enabling me to concentrate and work effectively.

I was sent an induction plan a couple of days before I began my internship detailing the schedule for the first couple of weeks and any key dates. My intern lead was away for the first week of the internship so we didn't cover everything we were meant to in the first week but when she returned she ensured that she covered all of the necessary induction material. My desk and computer were set up for me ready for my arrival and I received my admission card within a couple of days of the internship. Overall very well organised!

I was given an IT induction at the London office during the second week of my placement which was very useful and gave me lots of tips. I also received a training session on the companies intranet system. My colleagues spent a lot of time teaching concepts to me and explaining things when I was unsure. They also taught me how to use several very useful functions in Microsoft Excel. Throughout my internship, I was required to complete a learning log of skills I developed and performed well in. This required me to think about areas in which I needed to improve in which was very useful.

Very - don't want to leave!

Yes I was invited to various social events during my placement.

Lived at home during my internship.

Good!

During my placement I was invited by my colleagues to various social events outside of work, making me feel like a valued member of the team. I really enjoyed getting to know some of my colleagues more personally and this has been a fantastic part of my experience.