GTS Financial Analyst Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my placement with IBM. The team are very welcoming, and help you settle into your role very quickly. Lots of interesting things always happening, and all tasks carry a significant important - you really do add value to the organisation. My placement year has helped me develop myself personally and professionally by an incredible amount.

Extremely valued - my team were very welcoming from the minute I stepped foot into the office. The entire team, managers and interns were incredibly helpful, no question was ever stupid, and as responsibility grew, so did the respect and level of insights you got within the team. Towards the end of my placement, I was being asked to pick up more complicated tasks, which added real value to the division I was working in.

My managers were always there to answer any questions, help with work I was unsure of and guided me in the right way to my career path. During the start of my placement, my managers were able to teach me how to use the various programmes used within IBM and helped set up my laptop with all the correct accesses and information I would need to complete my daily tasks. Managers were always there for any personal issues too, very understanding and always willing to help.

Some weeks are busier than others. The last and first week of every month is the most busiest due to month-end activities. The middle of every month varies on the amount of requests from colleagues, calls scheduled, ad hoc activites and any project like work that comes through. Aside from this, as foundation students, there was also a fair amount of stuff that could be done outside of your regular daily activities: completing journals, getting to know different areas of the company (IBM has a Think40 scheme in which you can learn different skills and about the business in a series of online and face-to-face learning), volunteering and shadowing opportunities etc. I never found myself to be bored, or overloaded with so much work that I couldn't cope.

I was given a huge amount of responsibility as soon as I began to get settled into my role. As I progressed through my placement I found myself getting larger amounts of work, that held much more responsibility compared the first few tasks I completed. I also saw my role progress throughout my year at IBM, and found myself leading calls and attending calls with my unit's executive team.

A really good experience that I won't forget. A very good job with many different opportunities available throughout to add on my CV. Wasn't very relevant to the majority of my course, but has given me a strong insight into a career in finance. I have been able to use a lot of skills I didn't think I could during my placement year, and have picked up many new ones that will assist with the rest of my degree and future jobs.

Always friendly, fun, and professional when it needed to be - everyone is supportive and there's a good work ethic.

Extremely well organised. A good community of interns and was very well structured.

I had training at the beginning with the previous intern in my role. Didn't have a lot of time for handover but learnt a good amount to get me started, and any other information I needed I found from my team. Lots of different opportunities were available to train in different areas, different volunteering and shadowing opportunities were always being advertised and many talks and career days were set up for a further insight into specific roles.

Very appealing, there are many different opportunities and IBM have many benefits that come with their roles.

Very good, there are many interns based all over the country that you will find yourself networking with. As interns usually live together and near to each other, there are a lot of social events planned, nights out etc Portsmouth is a good location as there are university students everywhere.

Not too costly at all, never found myself struggling and rent is not that bad. Lots of student deals and events being planned via the university.

There are a few clubs, but usually very fun when with other interns and normally quite busy (and cheap) as most nights are student nights. Portsmouth is quite close to Southampton, so can even go there for a night out if you fancy something different.

There are many teams you can get involved in around town, and also via the university.