Summer Vacation Scheme in Restructuring Review

A very enjoyable experience all round, with a number of engaging tasks and events. There were plenty of meetings to be involved in and the atmosphere in the office was excellent. It was a slow work period which was unfortunate, but a great experience nonetheless.

The group I was 'adopted' into (K-PROG) were absolutely fantastic, always trying to ensure I had something on my plate. Although the office is somewhat divided (in a physical rather than emotional sense) everyone was highly welcoming and friendly.

Some excellent guidance, particularly towards the end of the internship when it was actually required. There were moments towards the start where it was unclear who was in charge, but as the internship progressed this was more than rectified.

For large swathes of the internship there was a good deal to do, but it was a self-confessed 'quiet period'. Naturally in my department this is a fact of life, and was more unfortunate than anything else, but at times did leave me and my colleague looking around for any work.

As the internship progressed and people were able to more fully guage my abilities, the level of responsibility I was given increased, until I was essentially working on the same things as the new joiners. This was fantastic, and really did a great deal to involve me more fully in the work environment.

I feel that I gained a strong array of skills from my time at KPMG, ranging from knowledge of work place behaviour, to how to act and think in high (and low) level meetings, to a more thorough understanding of the area I worked in. It was highly useful as it gave me an understanding of the progression systems in place, and the kind of skills that would be needed to climb the proverbial ladder, which I found to be one of the most useful bits of knowledge due to its practical implications.

As mentioned before, it was a bit of a slow period at times, which in turn meant that the office was perhaps somewhat quieter than it usually would be. However, that being said there were plenty of lunches/drinks/sporting events which certainly brightened my day and made the intership a good time.

Not hugely well set up at first since the person who was meant to meet us was on holiday, but once things settled down there was a marked improvement. The only complaints would be the lack of pre-planned training events (in case the office got quiet which I understand is fairly plausible) and the original lack of work. However, once 'adopted' into my team things were excellent, with certain notable characters who went the extra mile.

At times there was a good deal of investment in my personal development, and a number of general training events throughout the internship certainly added to this. However, the internship could certainly benefit from some form of review process (i.e. a review halfway through and one at the end), so as to allow the interns to know how they are performing, and to allow us in turn to air any compliments/complaints. The lack of this meant that while I certainly have developed, I feel more could be done to check on us and set us targets, which would have represented a more significant investment.

Have been recommended for a final interview which I am keen to undertake. The arrangement of the interview has only just started, so it will not be until after the internship itself has finished, but nonetheless, the prospects are appealing.

My fellow placement student was somewhat reserved but other interns from Pensions and Tax were excellent, and highly sociable. The initial two-day induction was good as well, and I have kept in touch with a number of people met there, who are now in different offices. In terms of the office in general, there have been a number of social events planned, and I was welcomed onto the 5-a-side football team, which was truly appreciated.

Unsure as to the cost of living since I'm not in the city centre, but the drinks are reasonably priced, and the Partner's often buy them anyway! The food also seems pretty sensibly priced, so if you were working off a budget you could maintain a good standard of living.

Whilst there were no office nights out during my stay here, personal experience is that the nightlife is excellent - plenty to do, nice bars and clubs and good people.

Really excelled in this area; I was consistently provided with opportunities to get involved in extra activities. These ranged from a Charity quiz to 5-a-side and regular football to playing squash. Highly recommended in terms of commitment to CSR and charitable activities; if these interest you I would certainly consider KPMG strongly.