October 2024 – Queen's Careers and Employability Blog

Q&A with Tom Smith who is a Queen’s University Belfast Graduate who started his career with Allstate as an Intern, moving to a Placement, which then led him to Graduate employment at the company in the Billing and Payments team within Allstate Canada

Why did you want to work at Allstate?

When I was in the first year of my computer science degree I saw a notice in an email from the Queens’ University Belfast Careers team, advertising Allstate’s Insights program, which was a series of workshops over a few days of the Easter holidays. I attended the workshops, and was offered the chance to interview for a summer internship. I got a place on the internship and have now worked here for three years.

What does a typical day look like?

I work on the Billing and Payments team within Allstate Canada. I work on a global team, with colleagues in India and Canada. As a result, I have time to get most of my actual work with the other developers done in the mornings, and then after lunch, my Canadian colleagues come online and that’s when things get busier and most of my meetings happen. I work from home most days, but go into the Belfast office at least once a week to see the others in my department, and usually play a bit of pool at lunchtime.

How was the transition from Intern > Placement > Grad?

Both teams that I’ve worked on have been very accommodating and supportive, pairing me up with one of the other developers on the team who I could work closely alongside to learn about the internal systems and the digital products the team is responsible for. It feels like there has been something of a change in my role at each annual milestone. When I first started as a summer intern, I was on the team that managed collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom. I then switched teams when I started my placement year, when I moved into the Allstate Canada Group. My team was known as Corporate Services, providing internal software services for both the Finance team and the Law and Regulation team. This team then merged with the Billing and Payment team between my placement year and starting as a graduate, introducing a new group of products for me to work on with a larger group of teammates.

What do you like about Allstate and your role?

There’s a big focus on a learning culture in Allstate. We have access to a large selection of in-house and external Learning & Development resources which we are encouraged to make use of. I also enjoy the social aspect of working at Allstate. On top of the events put together by individual teams (we went Axe Throwing recently), there is a constant stream of events being organised that all employees can attend. Personally, I regularly join the free cinema trips, but there are loads of other opportunities including a 5-a-side team, board game nights and the monthly beer and pizza event. The events are good fun and a chance to meet people outside of your team.

Any tips for those applying for an early careers opportunity?

Think about what benefits you personally bring to a team/company. At this stage of your career, you probably don’t have much technical experience that will set you apart from other candidates who have done the same uni assignments, and Allstate’s training resources are great for teaching you what you need to know, but a good team-worker who wants to engage with their colleagues and get involved with events from our various Employee Impact Groups is someone who will do well at Allstate.

To find out more about Careers at Allstate visit their website: https://www.allstateni.com/careers.aspx

Allstate NI are sponsors of the Queen’s Autumn Careers Fair 2024 – to find out more about Queen’s Careers Fairs visit https://go.qub.ac.uk/careersfair

Opening your mind to a trainee programme can open new doors for your career

By Alan Carson, Grant Thornton NI

Alan Carson, Audit Associate at Grant Thornton NI, tells all about his week long internship at Grant Thornton (NI), LLP.

“It was an exciting – if somewhat daunting – end to a truly memorable week. And one that could prove transformational for my career.”

“I’m talking about my week-long internship at Grant Thornton NI last summer, which set me on a path to earning a place in the firm’s trainee programme.”

“There was no official assessment process, as such, but rather a week of being observed while taking part in a wide range of activities and business scenarios, culminating in a presentation to the partner team on the Friday afternoon.”

“Myself and my fellow interns were told soon after we first arrived on the Monday that we would be tasked with delivering a presentation, but we were only told on the Thursday that our audience would be the partners. No pressure, then!”

“To be honest, though, it probably worked out for the better as it meant I didn’t spend the week with that task on my mind. And when it came to the presentation, although I was a little nervous, it proved to be a thoroughly rewarding experience.”

“I had delivered a few presentations as a student before and I decided the best approach to take was to relax as best I could and use the platform as an opportunity to showcase my skills. Thankfully, I managed to do that as, about a week later, I was offered a place on Grant Thornton NI’s trainee audit programme.”

“I am now just over a year into the three-and-a-half year course and thoroughly enjoying every element.”

“We often hear how, in today’s rapidly evolving job market, the idea of a linear career path is increasingly becoming a thing of the past – and I am proof of that. As a proud graduate of Queen’s University Belfast with a degree in History, and plans to do a PGCE and go into teaching, I’ve discovered firsthand how navigating the path of employment can quickly take an unexpected turn.”

“The trainee programme combines on-the-job experience with rigorous exams, and while there is always a lot on my plate, my role is very rewarding. Balancing work and study can be challenging, and although we’re granted study leave prior to exams, I’ve found that consistent weekly study sessions help me stay ahead of the curve.”

“Since beginning the programme, I’ve developed a range of valuable skills, including analytical auditing, attention to detail, meeting client objectives, and effective communication with both my peers and clients, whether that be on calls or in person. Additionally, the research and analytical skills I honed during my history degree have proved to be highly transferable to the world of finance.”

“I’ve also come to realise that the importance of a work-life balance that we often hear about is so true. For me, that balance is found in playing sport. I play hockey for Cookstown, training twice a week with a match on a Saturday, and for me it is the ideal way to unwind and enjoy the camaraderie that team sport offers.”

“It’s similar to work in many ways. One of my favourite aspects of the trainee programme is the opportunity for collaboration amongst my peers. It’s a social environment where senior trainees are always willing to lend a helping hand, having been in the same position themselves. The ‘Buddy’ system is another great feature, providing new trainees with a mentor for reassurance and support.”

“For all of these reasons, I would highly recommend that current students consider internships or trainee programmes. The Queen’s University Belfast Autumn Careers Fair, which has a focus on graduate and placement roles, provides an excellent place to connect with industry leaders from a wide range of sectors.”

“My advice is to attend with an open mind, visit and engage with as many stands as possible and ask lots of questions about the opportunities available. You just never know where it will lead. And, as someone planning on being a history teacher who is now on a trainee audit programme, I would know!”

Grant Thornton (NI) LLP, are sponsoring the Queen’s University Belfast Autumn Careers Fair in 2024.

To find out more about our Careers Fairs visit go.qub.ac.uk/careersfair
Find out more about Grant Thornton (NI) LLP at their website. grantthorntonni.com/careers/