Vacation student Review

I had three different opportunities lined up for me when I started this six week programme which would allow me to see different parts of an audit with different companies. It was really good having that organisation and it meant I had a clear work plan for each week where I was on client. I also knew where I was going and who I was working with which was really helpful for transport and deadlines.

Everyone was really kind to me and they were patient and helpful in explaining things that went beyond the task I was doing at the time. It was beyond helpful having that because it made me feel valued and confident and really confirmed my place in the team. I worked hard and it was recognised and I felt confident asking for help as well as extra work.

Support and guidance is a massive thing at KPMG. People were always happy to help you, whether it was setting up your computer to the printers or explaining how to do or why you're doing a task. It was really nice having that and it really showed how the managers and supervisors were invested in your growth when they took the time to help.

Most days, I'd have something to do but, sometimes, I had to wait for client information before I could progress further. This couldn't be helped and it happened to everyone so I got used to having a lot of different things on the go and asking for other work. It was normally a good balance but I did have a few days when I was given too much or nothing at all. These were thankfully few and far between.

On the very first day at a client site, I was talking to them and requesting information and quite literally doing all the work on my particular section. My manager was there if I needed any help but they trusted me to do the work and they were happy to let me do so independently. It felt really good having that trust and it made me want to work harder and succeed as a result.

I learnt a lot with regards to excel but there were also the soft skills which cannot be overstated. It was a massive confidence boost to talk to a client directly and be in charge of something, to the point where other people were asking me questions and trusting me. It was really helpful working in a professional environment and it helped me develop skills I haven't previously had.

The office mostly comprised of the senior staff unless people were there in the planning stage of an audit or in the office for other reasons. It was obviously to be expected with audit because of the travelling but it was something of a surprise how empty and quiet the office could be. I did end up getting quite comfortable with the staff there in the end but I did ultimately prefer the client sites with smaller teams which had a slightly more relaxed atmosphere.

I had quite a few training modules to be done such as health and safety, confidentiality and other things. We were given the time to these but, as vac students, we clearly weren't doing as much training as graduates and permanent staff would. I think it was the right amount for this and it did really help with the work stations and furniture. It would've been good being trained on printers on the first day in the office but it wasn't anything you didn't pick up by the end of the scheme anyway.

Sports and social did a lot of events, at least two in the time I was there, and more planned for the future. It was really good seeing that as plenty of people in audit don't see each other regularly and it gives them that opportunity to do so. It seemed like a broad scope of activities, too, and costs were often subsidised by Sports and social. As well as this, you could do your own hung outside of it and I organised with a few colleagues to hang out at weekends and it was perfectly normal to do so.

It's alright. I did my placement when the students are home so you were restricted in your clubs.