Group Functions Spring Intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed the spring week, I found it very insightful and I was able to learn a lot about the different functions within Group Functions. There were lots of interactive sessions and the spotlight sessions in particular were useful. The were various networking opportunities which helped to build connections and confidence in approaching employees.

I felt quite valued at Barclays as there were lots of senior employees and Directors who gave up their time to come and speak to us and find out more about us which was really nice. Furthermore, a networking evening was organised which made us, as interns, feel more connected to others working in the bank and made us feel more valued.

We received lots of support throughout the week; an app was created which allowed us to not only communicate with other interns, but also with HR and graduates at Barclays who we would be interacting with throughout the spring week. HR were also always friendly and always present during the spring week so we always felt like we could approach them with any questions and they would be able to help us.

I think the information gained is crucial in gaining employment after university. I think the technical skills gained are very useful as they can be used in any career discipline e.g. throughout the spring week we worked in groups which enabled us to develop team working, communication and leadership skills as well as being able to work well under pressure. There was also a group presentation at the end of the spring week which helped with presentation skills, public speaking and confidence.

The programme was very well structured as there was an app that allowed us to view our agenda each day and it specified the time, location and who would be leading that particular session which was helpful. Furthermore, the sessions were roughly 1-2 hours long which was good as if it was too long it would be difficult to concentrate, Also, there was a good variety of different sessions throughout the day (e.g. spotlight sessions, networking, guest speakers etc.) to ensure that we were engaged.

The general atmosphere was very positive and everyone leading the sessions was engaging and looked like they wanted to be there which was important. I think all of the interns thoroughly enjoyed coming into Barclays each day as everyone was very friendly and made us feel welcome and treated us like we were employees.

I think there was slightly limited training and development but only because the scheme was only a week long and it would have been difficult for Barclays to do this for each intern. However, we did receive good advice from HR particularly regarding interviews and appropriate business etiquette. We did have opportunities to talk to and network with lots of employees so this could have contributed as development as these opportunities allowed us to learn a lot about the different divisions as Barclays and what it would be like to work at Barlclays.

The insight was very useful in this aspect because during work shadowing we were able to talk to graduates within a specific area of the bank and ask them specific questions relating to their role. Furthermore, we were assigned a 'buddy' throughout the week and I was able to meet up with mine and ask further questions about what its like working at Barclays e.g. ask about flexibility of moving into different divisions, working hours, work load as a graduate, level of responsibility when you first join the bank etc.

The insight was very useful in understanding the company culture because we were able to talk to a number of employees, all at different stages in their career, and working in different divisions and they were able to talk about their own personal experiences at Barclays, All of the people that I spoke to really liked working at Barclays and they said they were a flexible employer and that they had good development opportunities. Furthermore the RISES values that Barclays have seem to have integrated well with the workforce.

The content was fundamental in helping me decide a career path because the spotlight sessions that we had really helped to clarify exactly what employees do in a particular Group Function. Furthermore, through work shadowing we were able to talk to graduates within a Function of our choice, and really get to find out more about their day-to-day working life e.g. how closely do they liaise with the other functions, how did they choose their specific role etc.

We were paid $250 for the spring week and international interns were reimbursed for the cost of their flight.

There were various networking opportunities throughout the week. The biggest networking event was a networking evening where all of the interns across the different divisions (Group Functions, Technology, Front Office and PCB) were able to meet with employees from all different areas of the bank. Furthermore, there were smaller networking opportunities throughout the week e,g, speaking to graduates after a session they had presented, being able to meet up with your buddy etc.

The networking evening was helpful in being able to meet with and talk to employees from different areas of the bank, as well as employees in different stages of their career. It also allowed us to meet other interns and interact with them too.

I learned about some of the different networks that they have e.g. (WiN) but didn't get to ask about the specific activities.

I would definitely recommend this spring week to a friend as it was very helpful.