I’ve always wanted to start a career in the professional services industry, particularly in consulting. When I learned about the Willis Towers Watson Business Operations Internship program, I started researching more about the company and was amazed to find out that Willis Towers Watson is one of the top global advisory organizations in the industry. I was also motivated by the company’s inclusive and hands-on approach, where interns are encouraged to think around a problem in order to develop their skills.

My internship is virtual. Working remotely is different from working in an physical office since everything is done online. Nevertheless, the experience is still valuable and rewarding.

Ma. Antonette’s workplace

Participating in a fully virtual internship has made me realize the importance of staying connected and building relations with my fellow colleagues. I am delighted to see how close, supportive and welcoming my team is even though we are all working remotely. This close-knit culture has allowed me to connect seamlessly with my team and feel comfortable to ask questions about a specific task or project.

Willis Towers Watson prioritizes the professional growth of its colleagues, particularly interns. So far, I’ve been upskilled to communicate effectively and professionally with people within and outside of the company. Also, I am consistently guided on the proper standards and procedures to carry out tasks related to our projects.

Being a Human Resources intern for more than a month now, I’ve worked on various internal projects, including celebrating Inclusion & Diversity in the workplace by supporting Pride Month-related initiatives, recognizing top performing individuals and preparing trainings for colleagues. I’m also amazed at how Willis Towers Watson values and prioritizes its teams’ growth and wellbeing by ensuring a strong work-life balance. It’s no wonder why colleagues are committed and motivated to perform at their best.

I have found the culture here nurturing, motivating and transparent. Willis Towers Watson has a welcoming environment where everyone is comfortable to bring their true self to work.

I value the fact that colleagues are recognized as esteemed members of a team; colleagues are empowered to share their ideas and communicate their opinions. I admire our leaders as they often encourage team members to speak up. This makes me feel more confident to share my own thoughts as my ideas and opinions are truly heard and taken into consideration.

I would recommend enrolling in an internship at Willis Towers Watson. It is a very rewarding and worthwhile experience especially for those individuals who aspire to start their career and understand the different nuances in the corporate world.

Willis Towers Watson will help you become a highly skilled professional by giving you the tools and confidence to think around clients’ problems. My advice would be to make the most out of this opportunity by strengthening and showcasing your skills. Here, you’ll discover a lot about yourself by learning from talented, diverse individuals and leaders.

As an intern, I was given responsibilities that helped me learn about the business and the organization, including:

• Working on a pension plan termination project alongside a Senior Consulting Actuary
• Performing data intensive tasks in Excel
• Performing pension benefit calculations for plan participants
• Working on an actuarial equivalence project with other interns.

The top five things I learnt as an intern helped me expand my knowledge about the Human Capital & Benefits area, whilst helping me grow as a professional and as a person:

• Professional networking
• Time management and prioritizing
• Industry standards and practices
• Teamwork
• Confidence and adaptability

My best memory was my final internship presentation. It was the culmination of everything I had learnt and all the people I had the opportunity to work with. It was such a thrill and it didn’t hurt that I did a great job!

Willis Towers Watson’s efforts towards Inclusion & Diversity (I&D). I’m originally from Ghana and I had been in the US for about a year, so I was still getting used to everything. The internship was a great introduction and warm welcome to corporate America.

I am currently a Lead Actuarial Associate in the Retirement Line of Business, mentee in Financial Wellbeing, member of the recruiting team and actively involved in I&D initiatives. These roles are very important accomplishments for me since some were goals I set for myself as an intern and I am glad to have had the opportunity to exceed them and aim higher.

I was already accustomed to the tools, processes, culture and colleagues, so it reduced any onboarding stress, allowed me to settle in easily and focus on my actual work.

Internship coordinators, my buddy and all my client teams.

Go ahead and apply! It’s a great company to work for. We live by our values and strive to continuously improve our early careers programs, so all our colleagues get the best out of them.

As an intern I was mainly responsible for analyzing executive compensation data and long-term incentive mechanisms of Chinese companies listed in Mainland China, Hong Kong and the US.

I learnt important communication skills and how to manage the relationship with clients. I also got the opportunity to acquire more business and industry-oriented knowledge.

Amongst my favorite memories are celebrating colleagues’ birthdays together and team building activities like barbeques!

There are two things I value the most from Willis Towers Watson’s values and culture:

• Teamwork: colleagues are very helpful and willing to teach you so you can grow professionally
• Flexibility: there’s no limit to the place or time you work as long as you’re able to accomplish the task on time.

I am currently a consultant in the Executive Compensation (EC) team. As I majored in Finance, being a Human Resources (HR) consultant is something I never imagined or saw coming. But I find it interesting how some HR-focused issues are also related to finance, such as option valuation.

The knowledge I obtained on data collection and analysis as an intern deepened my understanding of EC, which has helped me excel in my current position.

I’m grateful for my manager and mentor’s help during difficult times. They were kind enough to share their knowledge selflessly; I’m also very thankful to have had supportive colleagues that have since become great friends.

Do not hesitate to apply. You’ll receive great support from the Willis Towers Watson team to grow as a professional and achieve your goals.

As an intern, I was part of the Quality Assurance Team at Human Resources (HR) Portal. I was trained to do both manual testing and automated User Interface/Application Programming Interfaces testing. I was also involved in everyday colleague tasks and was immersed into the different traditions of the team since day one.

Although my internship went by very quickly, I think I was able to maximize my three months of training. The experience I gained during my internship program was incomparable to the lessons taught in school – which only goes to show that not everything can be learned in the four corners of a classroom. The program also introduced me to technologies that I had never encountered before, which sharpened my programming skills. Most of the things I experienced were new to me and I took it all in with an open mind.

I recall having to dance to Jingle Bell Rock in front of other Quality Assurers from the Software Development Team. I was told that this was a requirement for me to join the team. It was a joke of course, but I was gullible enough to believe it anyway!

I liked that there is no sense of one-upmanship even though most of my colleagues are already experienced developers. Everyone is always willing to help one another and is ready to rise to the occasion. There is a contagious positive energy in the team that makes you push yourself to work harder. Also, work-life balance is very important to me, so I was very happy to know that the company allows colleagues to work flexible hours.

Immediately after the Internship program, I was hired as a full-time Software Development Engineer in Test. Throughout my internship I prepared for this role, so I was very proud of myself when I got officially hired.

My transition from being an intern to a full-time colleague was seamless since the program fully equipped me for the role. My involvement in the team’s daily activities made it easier for me to adapt with minimal adjustments.

I’m thankful for my manager, my Test Solution Architect, and of course my buddy, for being patient while I was still learning the ropes. I could say that they were the three people who not only saw what I am capable of, but also believed in what I could possibly offer in the future. I would also like to thank the whole HR Portal family who have always supported me since I was an intern and beyond. I am happy to say that I found life-long friends in them.

There will be a lot of things that you won’t know at first, and that is perfectly okay. Being in that position is a humbling experience and it will help you strive harder. Just be patient and try your best because there will always be colleagues to help you along the way at Willis Towers Watson.

The process was vigorous, but very rewarding. There was an online application, some tests and then a video interview. Once I had been invited to an assessment centre in Willis Towers Watson’s London offices, the communication from the Willis Re recruitment team was fantastic. The interview day was a good opportunity to ask questions and get a feel for the industry and the company itself. There were two individual interviews, and an assessed group activity. 

I was curious as to how an internship would work online; however, I have been very pleasantly surprised by its efficiency. We were issued laptops and headsets and for the first few days had a chock-a-block itinerary of introductions and seminars to occupy us. The last six weeks have introduced me to many different areas of the reinsurance world, including a Solvency and Financial Condition Reports benchmarking project, preparation for the UK market update seminar, a Willis Re market overview compilation and my own personal project on the impact of COVID-19 on the UK (Re)insurance industry.

The interns at Willis Re are enrolled onto the REACH (reinsurance achievement) programme during their time with the company. We attended the training sessions with graduates, specifically focussing on Catastrophe modelling. Similarly, we were invited to global virtual seminars throughout the scheme. A particularly impactful session discussed the problems of diversity that exist within the insurance industry and the efforts that Willis Towers Watson are making to change this.

I think one of the most challenging aspects of a virtual internship is overcoming the small problems that, in an office scenario, would be rectified easily by a nearby colleague. From a distance, however, these inconveniences, such as technical glitches or issues of wording, are harder to deal with. Luckily, we were encouraged to call fellow team members for help – even for the most minor queries. Also, I think having to deal with problems on the spot and without a more qualified guiding hand in the room, we were encouraged to think and work more independently than we might have done in the office.

From a professional point of view, I really enjoyed researching and presenting my end of internship project. I was lucky enough to present on the impact of COVID-19 on the insurance and reinsurance industries – something very topical which everyone was keen to discuss with me. Socially, the grads were kind enough to organise a quiz night for the interns, which was really good fun, despite my teammate and I doing abysmally in most rounds… I also enjoyed participating in the UK Motor team bingo – it was a great way of getting to know colleagues in a different context. I am looking forward to meeting a few of my teammates for a catch up later this summer!

I think that the virtual nature of the internship allowed me to meet a wider range of people than I might have done in the office – including some in other countries. Members of different teams and areas of expertise were willing to carve out their time for me to have a chat and answer some of my questions. Similarly, I was able to gain an insight into different areas of business that my team might not have daily interactions with, such as Insurance-linked Securities I felt this this expanded my knowledge of the industry. Additionally, avoiding the morning rush-hour commute in hot weather was a big plus.

The culture I experienced within Willis Towers Watson, specifically Willis Re, was inclusive, friendly, professional and fun. I never felt as though I was a less significant part of the team given the fact that I was an intern, I was given responsibility straightaway and was able to approach anyone no matter how senior for their advice and insight. People always made time for me, no matter what other things they might have had on their agenda.

The sense of team within Willis Re is strong. I was made to feel part of the team from my first morning on the job. I pushed this further by reaching out to as many new contacts as I could, filling my diary with virtual coffee meetings and question sessions. At the end of the six weeks I had sat down for virtual introductions with nearly 30 colleagues, including the Willis Re CEO. 

The other interns and I had weekly catch ups to share our experiences across different lines of business, which I really enjoyed.

I would love to pursue a career in reinsurance broking, specifically structured lines of business.

I would thoroughly recommend applying for this scheme. I have learned an extraordinary amount even under quite unusual circumstances, and the internship has certainly increased my appetite for a career in this industry. Practically, I would recommend grasping every opportunity, talking to as many people as you can and asking every question you have – no matter how silly you fear it is! For reinsurance specifically, expect an inordinate number of acronyms, and invest in watching a quick YouTube tutorial in how to do v-look-ups!

Willis Towers Watson was on the top of my list as I had been aware of its name and reputation for years. Consulting was the area I knew I wanted to explore.

It was positive. The responses I got from the recruiting team were always quick and clear. The online application process was easy to follow.

My responsibilities included sorting and analyzing data, making clear outlines and summaries, and communicating efficiently to managers and clients. I participated in major projects, which included summarizing data on provider assumptions on pricing models, rates and the like, as well as reviewing tech reports and conducting an analysis of potential outsourcing clients.

I gained professional skills and knowledge and improved my communication skills. Every project I took part in, every discussion I attended, every colleague I worked with — contributed to the overall educational experience.

It was somewhat overwhelming at first to realize that, as an intern, I had full responsibility for a specific part of a project. Getting used to a new role initially felt challenging, and I wasn’t sure if I was understanding things correctly or delivering things as expected. But all my peers and managers were so encouraging. They gave me positive feedback and full credit for doing my part. All this helped me feel supported throughout my internship. I felt appreciated and trusted by my team, which made me want to work harder.

The outsourcing case I worked on was creative and interesting. We needed to analyze the financial data, strategic information and human resource strategy of potential clients. We used various information sources to create benchmarks for pursuing new business and making deals. It was a great opportunity for me to solve open-ended, real-world problems from the ground up.
I also enjoyed getting to work with nice, friendly people who were always open to questions and offered help when I needed it. As an intern with limited knowledge, they were always patient with me and taught me a lot. Also, the company provided a great deal of support for me to continue my course of study and take certification exams, which I very much appreciated.

The culture is flexible and respectful. Working on multiple projects while studying for my exams required good time management skills. People and management are flexible — you get to make your own plan as long as you can deliver your work on time.

I look forward to studying and passing exams so I can get industry certifications. I’d like to explore different business lines and work toward becoming an expert in the insurance industry, and pursue a consultant role.

Be willing to learn quickly. Working in a consulting company can be diverse and intense, and you have the opportunity to try different roles on different projects. You should take the initiative and be confident, as the work moves quickly. Know you were hired for a reason and are there to make a contribution. Every single day can be your opportunity if you are willing to take it in and enjoy it.
You’ll feel comfortable and appreciated working here.

Having studied for some actuarial exams at university, I was keen to understand the practical aspect of the theoretical knowledge I was gaining. Willis Towers Watson gave me the opportunity to work for some of the biggest pension schemes in the country, which was a perfect opportunity to learn the essence of the industry.

I started my career as an intern with Willis Towers Watson India a few years ago and now I work as an associate with Willis Towers Watson UK. Having worked as an associate on defined benefit schemes in India, I wanted to get exposure to the pension industry in another country. As one of the largest actuarial companies with a presence in multiple countries, Willis Towers Watson made getting an opportunity to work in another country easier. I applied for a position in the UK, was contacted by HR and after a few in-depth interviews, was made an offer to transfer.
Willis Towers Watson’s Global Mobility team made the transition a smooth one, and I felt supported at every step. It was definitely a big change driven primarily for the purpose of career advancement. Now that I have been in the UK for almost 10 months, I feel the move has helped me grow both professionally and personally.

As an intern I was responsible for shadowing consultants in the preparation of valuation reports for clients for accounting purposes. It gave me a good understanding of how pension liabilities impact the ledger for multinational corporations. I also got an opportunity to sharpen my Excel skills by creating a spreadsheet for automating a process.

Willis Towers Watson has an extensive training programme, along with great study support. To succeed an actuary, we need to maintain a balance between work, study and social life. Having a generous study policy made things easier. Also there were frequent social events with the team where I got to interact with senior consultants and actuaries; learning from their experiences was definitely an added benefit.

At a very early stage in my career, I had an opportunity to work closely with a senior consultant supporting a client that was implementing a government-driven defined contribution pension scheme. It involved managing a project with multiple stakeholders and tight timelines. We started by selecting a third-party administrator, and then had discussions with senior management at the client company to ensure they had the platform required to introduce the new pension scheme to employees.

From having the opportunity to attend client meetings and work with communication experts to prepare content for employee awareness, this experience provided incredible exposure to project management and to the client.

The culture is diverse, with something for everyone. One of the best things about my job is the ability to interact with members of the team at all different levels. I love that I get to learn new things from highly experienced actuaries. I also enjoy the sincere appreciation I receive from not only my manager, but from the people I work with directly.