Kareen McDonagh

I heard about Spence through the QUB Placement Office whilst preparing for my placement year. The staff spoke very highly of Spence which encouraged me to attend their information evening. I learned about all the opportunities available and it was following this evening that I decided to apply as an actuarial placement student.

I could never have imagined how much work I would get involved in. My roles included acting as actuarial support and helping with other departments such as the Administration, Finance, Accounts and Payroll teams.

Due to the vast amount of work I was involved in, it allowed me to develop my professional and technical skills whilst also enhancing my business awareness as a whole. It is due to this that there is never a ‘typical’ day in Spence.

The responsibility I held increased throughout the year and I was carrying out more complex tasks. Within the year, I was already checking other students’ work and providing training to more senior members of staff.

This reflects Spence’s approach of treating their placement students as integral members of the organisation.

During my placement year, Spence offered me a graduate position within the company to complete the actuarial exams. I learned a lot about the actuarial exams from my colleagues and I am very grateful for all the study support offered by Spence.

Completing my placement year at Spence was the best decision for me as it provided me with valuable experience inside and outside of my actuarial role. I would highly recommend Spence to any student wanting a placement year that is busy, fast-paced but extremely rewarding. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time to date with the company and I look forward to the future.