The Programmes

Actuarial Consulting

If you are highly numerate and enjoy using those numerical skills to solve complex problems then this might be the programme for you.

Actuaries use their statistical and mathematical skills to analyse future events and actuarial consultants apply those skills across a variety of issues and organisations adding to the challenge and the gradient of the learning curve.

Examples

One of the things the actuaries in our Benefits Group do is predict the value of individuals’ pension entitlements at retirement age.
In our Insurance Practice our actuaries might use their skills to analyse how much an insurance company’s potential total liabilities might be.
Actuarial skills in the Investment Practice are used to analyse asset allocations and decide where the optimum allocation lies.

The insight programme will give you a more detailed understanding of the three different areas in which actuarial skills are applied at Watson Wyatt. It will also allow you to attempt practical, work based tasks.

Non-Actuarial Consulting

If you would prefer your work to have a lower numerical content but are still looking for a dynamic, challenging environment where there is no ‘typical day’ and variety is the name of the game then (non-actuarial) consulting may well be for you.

Consulting is all about getting to know our clients’ business issues and then applying expert knowledge and understanding to help them solve those issues. Work is project based and tends to involve early exposure to clients.

Examples

Within our DC Consulting team, consultants help clients tackle the hot topic of Defined Contribution pension scheme design and communication.
Our Human Capital Group helps organisations with their reward strategies, ensuring that they have the optimum mix of base pay and other benefits to attract and retain the right people to meet their business objectives.
Consultants within the Investment Practice are either the lynch pin between clients and our internal solutions teams, or they interview and rate fund managers.

All areas require a degree of technical knowledge but we don’t expect people joining us to know about the technical areas. That is something we can teach. What we do look for is potential and we asses that by looking at the skills that make a good consultant – communication, team work, analytical ability, initiative and diligence and problem solving ability.

Programme Structure

Both programmes will run over the Easter University holiday period and will last for 2 days. We will provide overnight accommodation for those that require it.

If you perform well during your two days with us and are interested in joining us on a summer scheme the following year, there is a possibility that the insight programme could lead to more substantial work experience.