UBS Spring Insight Week Review

I thoroughly enjoyed the week! There was a range of talks and workshops throughout the week which meant that there was something for everyone and the workshops were very interactive. We also had a social at the start of the week, which was a great opportunity to meet everyone on the insight programme in a more informal environment.

I have felt extremely valued during my time at the firm. It was clear that the workers wanted to help us get the most out of this week and we were frequently reminded that we were the future of the firm and thus I felt like we were definitely valued by the firm.

We were supported the whole way through the insight, there was no moment when we were left alone. Also, the graduates that we met along the way were keen to give us honest advice on any questions we had. Furthermore, after each talk there would be enough time for Q&A in which we could have any questions of ours answered.

We were given talks on the majority of divisions in the bank which meant that we had a greater understanding of what each division does. We also had the opportunity to shadow a graduate in our chosen business area for approximately 3 hours, where we could ask them any questions we had. The information that I have gathered from the shadowing and the talks will be useful in the future should I choose to have a career in this industry.

The week was extremely organised. We received information about what time we needed to arrive on the first day, as well as information on the general structure for the week, a week or two prior to the spring insight. Once we had arrived we were given a handbook which included the timetable for the week and each event stayed exactly on schedule.

The general atmosphere was amazing during the insight! It was great to meet like-minded students from all walks of life who were just as excited about the insight programme as myself. We were given plenty of breaks which meant that we had plenty of opportunities to meet all of the students on the programme and I believe this helped to keep up the atmosphere during the insight.

UBS ensured that we had a varied spring insight, which included a session on how to succeed in assessment centres- useful for personal development.

The 3 hour work shadowing gave a great insight into what working in the company would be like and also what work you would be doing on a day-to-day basis.

From the first talk we had we were given a great insight into UBS's culture. This was shown throughout the subsequent talks and it was clear that the culture was embodied by all of the workers that we met.

I was pretty sure that I wanted to work in the investment banking industry before the insight week but the content of the week has helped to confirm that this is the industry for me and more specifically, which divisions most interest me.

Breakfast and lunch were provided everyday, and some student's travel expenses were reimbursed.

There were plenty of opportunities to meet employees from UBS and these were often in a relaxed and enjoyable environment, and they were very informative.

The networking sessions were very useful and the social event, which was at a bar, was very enjoyable- it was great to meet the other students on the programme. However, the social event was slightly overcrowded due to limited space at the bar.

We were given several opportunities to hear about what activities employees could get involved in outside of work and there was a session specifically dedicated to hearing about some of the networks within UBS.

I would definitely recommend this insight to anyone who has never considered a career in investment banking or to anyone who wants to learn more about the industry. The week provided a great insight into the bank and industry in general and has been helpful for confirming my career choice.