Vacation scheme student- Audit Review

I enjoyed the internship far more than I expected to. I was given challenging tasks from my first day but was adequately supported by extremely friendly colleagues. I was given a range of tasks to complete which really gave me a realistic insight as to what a career in audit would be like.

The relatively small teams in which we worked on audits allowed us interns to get close a few members of staff at a time. Whilst working from the office I created strong bonds with other members of the department and office. I felt like the work I completed for colleagues really was valued and was always thanked for the efforts I went to.

I felt extremely supported at KPMG. No question I had ever went unanswered. There were always plenty of people willing to help. Management seemed genuinely interested in the work I was doing and how I was getting on. The opportunity to shadow a partner for a day was great experience to meet more senior members of staff.

During the first few weeks, I was working at a client office on an audit. This meant I was relatively busy everyday and time passed quickly as I always had tasks to complete. However, on my return to the KPMG office I wasn't booked on a job for over a week and during that time it was hard to secure work as the entire department was relatively quiet. This seemed unavoidable due to the time of year.

I was given a reasonable level of responsibility during my placement. I was carrying out tasks similar to those of the graduates at the firm. At times I was concerned that I would get things wrong but members of staff who set the tasks were always willing to offer guidance and check on work I wasn't sure about.

My skills in Excel improved tremendously over the course of the placement. I believe I also greatly improved my communication skills and was surprised by the amount of interaction involved in the role. I definitely improved my timekeeping skills as I had to juggle different tasks. I believe this will all assist me in my last year of studies as I balance coursework and classes with extra-curricular activities.

I felt like the general atmosphere in the office was very welcoming. It was a relatively small, close-knit team made up of individuals who genuinely appeared to get on. It was a supportive atmosphere with members of the team regularly asking one another for advice on issues they were facing. Senior members of staff sat in the same open plan office as everyone else, not isolating themselves from more junior members of staff.

The overall internship was organised well. I was given the opportunity to work with a number of different clients. It gave me a clear picture of what a graduate job in audit would be like. Not being booked on a client for a couple of weeks was surprisingly okay as I got to meet more members of the team whilst being in the office.

My colleagues at KPMG appeared to really care about my personal training and development. They ensured I knew how to use all programmes that were new to me and took the time to answer any questions. Being invited to a CR day also seemed beneficial to our personal development as it was another new experience and one which we all seemed to take a lot from.

I was offered a graduate position for 2017 which I was extremely happy about. The work itself was more interesting than expected, that staff members were extremely welcoming and helpful and the company itself appears to really care about the people who work for them. The obvious career progression which is offered at the firm is appealing, alongside the great opportunities for women.

There was a relatively good social scene with drinks held in our fourth week. This gave a great opportunity to meet more members of staff and get to know one another outside the office environment. A number of people in the office also met to play badminton and squash but I was unfortunately unable to attend these.

The cost of living in Aberdeen remains relatively high due to the oil and gas industry, however this is reflected in the slightly higher than average wages available. Rents have dropped with the dip in oil prices. I believe socialising is of average cost, perhaps drinks are slightly more expensive than in other Scottish cities.

The nightlife in Aberdeen is relatively good, however it is quieter during the summer than in term time when all the students are in the city.

There was the opportunity to take part in badminton, squash and football outside of work. The weekend I left placement there was the opportunity to take part in a corporate version of "It's a knockout". There were also plans for various hill climbs to be completed in the coming months in order to raise money for charity.