Retirement Intern Review

I really enjoyed my internship at Willis Towers Watson as I believe the experience gave me an opportunity to experience what it would be like working for the firm. Over the 8 weeks, I learnt a lot about the different work they do and was encouraged to get involved in a variety of projects.

Everyone in the office welcomed you and treated you like any other employee. We were given work similar to that of the graduates and encouraged to get involved in anything of interest to us. Many gave positive feedback and were keen to help improve your knowledge, taking time to explain things.

My line manager was very nice and made a great effort to welcome us. He was very approachable and I could go to him with any queries or if I was looking for work. We had 3 review meetings during the 8 weeks where he gave us feedback and the opportunity to ask about getting involved in any work we wanted. He also organised me to sit in on client calls which were very interesting.

Most days I was very busy and was able to work on a variety of different tasks. There were only a few days were I was left with no work as many in the office had deadlines and none of the work I could help with, however this is understandable. Any time I was quiet, you could email round the office and people were willing to hand you tasks.

As interns we were given the same amount of responsibility as a graduate would have. We were completing work similar to that of the graduates who had been in the office a year. The tasks we were working on were for clients and had deadlines we had to adhere to. We were never given rubbish or unnecessary jobs.

I think the internship helped me gain lots of experience about pensions and actuary. The colleagues would all make an effort to explain what was going on and let you get involved. Also, it was interesting to learn about the exams and studying involved as this is something that would be expected if I undertook a grad job.

The general atmosphere in the office is very laidback and makes it enjoyable to work in. The "dress for your day" concept is great as everyone looks smart but doesn't have to be in a suit everyday. Everyone is friendly and make an effort to chat which makes the day go quicker too.

The internship was very well organised. We attended a training session in London on our first day which allowed us to meet all the interns from other offices which was nice. Also, the speakers and training sessions were interesting. When we started in our office, we received training from other employees on a number of topics that helped us when we started completing tasks.

The company made a special effort to provide all the training we required to give us background knowledge as many interns didn't come from an actuarial background. The other employees took time out of their day to educate us and answer any questions we had. The review meetings with my manager also helped as it involved personal evaluation, whilst also giving feedback from other employees.

Having completed my internship, it has made the company more attractive for me as a potential employer. The range of work and different tasks made it very interesting. The atmosphere in the workplace was enjoyable and the people within the firm are all friendly and good fun. Even as an intern, they treated you with respect and spent time getting to know you.

The social scene in the office was good both with other interns and colleagues. We would all eat lunch together most days and this gave us a chance to chat. They also held two social events during my internship which were also good fun. Many of the colleagues will have drinks after work or meet up outside work which they encouraged interns to come along to too.

The cost of living was as expected. Considering the internship is paid you can more than cover your expenses and the wage you receive is completely fair. You also receive 4 and a half days holiday which the office encouraged us to take if we had any plans or just wanted time off. The office is in a great location with lots of nice food places and bars nearby.

The nightlife was very good during my internship as there was so many different things to do in the evenings. Many of my friends were on internships nearby so I could meet them for lunch, dinner or drinks. We also went to a couple of shows and night outs after work.

Yes, during the internship a number of different social events were held and the office seemed to make a special effort to hold things to get the office together outside work. It was nice to get to know the colleagues outside the normal working environment and I feel they were all good fun.