Actuarial Consultant (Benefits Intern) Review

Fantastic company with a great office atmosphere. Everyone was very welcoming and helped me to settle in well.

My colleagues were always very encouraging of any work I produced, often showing me how it fitted into the bigger project they were undertaking, showing how valuable my time and effort had been..

Management were incredibly supportive. If ever I had any questions, no matter how small, they were approachable and always willing to help.

Towards the start of the internship I found myself having not much work to do. This was rectified in later weeks and my colleagues found the right balance of setting work for me. Occasionally I would have very busy days and stay an hour or so late in the office, but this just reflects the nature of the work: sometimes clients require a certain piece of work before a strict deadline. I was never expected to stay late however, this was my choice.

Obviously as an intern I wasn't expecting huge levels of responsibility. However, I was given a more leading role on one small client project, planning what exactly needed to be done, approximately how long it would take, and planning my day to fit in this work.

I hope to go into Actuarial Consulting in the future, so a large number of the job specific skills should be incredibly useful in later life. With regards to my degree, time management skills that I have developed will be incredibly useful as I come up to exam time.

The Bristol office had around 50 people in it, so was quite small in comparison to some of the other offices. However, this meant that there was a real family feel to the office, with everyone knowing who everyone else was. Therefore there was always a really fun, relaxed atmosphere in the office.

On the first day in the office we were given a list of objectives and a list of client projects we were working on. This was great to have, as we knew from the outset what the internship would have in store for us.

In the first few weeks we spent around half of our time in training sessions. This training, especially on various pieces of computer software, was essential for the job. Those setting me work also ensured they explained the background to the work rather than just telling me what to do, so broadening my knowledge. This investment of time was very much appreciated.

I've been offered a graduate placement for when I finish university, which I will be accepting as the internship has been great!

There was a social committee within the company who organised regular events. At lunchtimes we had more informal gatherings, such as "Pie Wednesdays" and frequent pub trips. The interns also organised a social, and a good number of people, including more senior colleagues, came along.

Bristol is cheaper than London, but potentially more expensive than other cities. There was a Wetherspoons just around the corner, which was perfect for cheap lunchtime drinks.

Bristol has a great nightlife. I've been at university here for 3 years and have no complaints.

There were always opportunities to get involved in social activities outside of work. Aside from that, not many.