Student Review

I thoroughly enjoyed the insight at M&G Prudential. I was excited from the moment I received an email in regard to the timetable for the day. The things that stood out for me were the talks from employees in various departments as well as the team simulation trading exercises throughout the day.

Having been accepted onto the insight day, which many students may have applied for, I feel valued to an extent. To add, it was emphasised that anyone with dietary requirements such as myself should come and speak to a member of staff who would point us in the right direction in regards to food.

The guidance and support offered by staff, graduates and employees was very helpful and any questions I had were answered well and directly. I received support regarding my needs and also upon enquiring about the opportunities available to me despite my degree course being 4 years in length, and that there is still an internship opportunity available for me somewhere.

I think there is a lot I can take away from the insight - I'd learned new skills whilst developing existing ones and I can see myself applying these to my studies and into my future. For example, working in groups for the trading exercises allowed me to develop my teamwork and persuasion skills.

The insight was very well structured - I received an email each week before the insight was due to take place as a reminder of the plan for the day. On the day, the structure was explained to us by staff and we were given handouts as well to remind us of the events.

Everyone was welcoming and friendly. The atmosphere was great as myself and fellow undergraduates got to meet each other and our teams for the day. There was conversation everywhere and everyone was easy to talk to and I think that the overall feel of the atmosphere and the energy was very inclusive and fun.

Staff, employees and graduates at M&G Prudential explained how, if I was to work here, they would train and look after me as an individual personally and as an employee. It was evident that there are multiple ways in which the company invests in its staff to develop them and train them.

As mentioned, we had talks from staff, employees and graduates. I felt that Cecile Mariani and Laura Frost provided insights into the avenues available for me in the firm. This was complemented by the panel discussion with the graduates about their role in the company and how they work full time.

The vast amount of activities through the day contributed to by overall understanding of the company culture. Group exercises, such as the trading simulation, as well as the graduate panel discussion and the speed networking during lunchtime allowed to gain a clear understanding of the culture and whether it would suit me.

I was unsure whether I'd even consider going into a investment company given the stigma of long working hours and the stereotypical investment banking role. However, the content of the day really did help me decide whether this route was viable for me and one that I would enjoy and I think I'm reconsidering opening the door to this.

There was only one real opportunity for networking and meeting other employees of the company or firm, and this was during lunchtime. I think most students, naturally, went straight for the food and even when I tried finding someone to talk to, many employees were occupied for long periods of time.

As mentioned before, I feel that the speed networking at lunchtime was an opportunity for me to talk to employees, however, I felt as if it was too crowded - such as the fact that it was held during lunch in the foyer where there were over 100 people in one space. I also felt there weren't enough employees to accommodate the needs of students.

I would recommend this to friends who are interested in the investment field as well as business/economics in general as there are a number of opportunities available to find something in the company that you fit into and there are programmes available for unergrads to take part in e.g. internships. The insight day's content was filled with fun activities and opportunities to find out more about the company.