Front Line Manager Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my Internship with Lloyds Banking Group. I enjoyed every single day I worked for the bank, never did I dread having to go to work in the morning after waking up. Banking and the financial sector is where my interest lie and so this internship mirrored my passion, as well as allowing for real insight and job prospects. I could not fault any aspect of the internship it was great fun at work engaging with colleagues and socializing with other interns out with work. I would seriously recommend this internship to everyone; there are so many roles and different areas to choose from.

I have worked for many companies in the past, but never have I ever felt so genuinely welcoming from day one and throughout. To some managers, having an intern with zero experience and training would be a nightmare, but at Lloyds, it was a blessing as they understood the support and benefits associated, rather than assuming it would be a burden. I was continuously told how well I was doing and praise where appropriate. The Managers never had a second thought about delegating me tasks, regardless of the complexity as they judged my competence. Recognitions of successes and achievements were discussed and communicated throughout my department. I felt as though I was genuinely making a difference and that my Managers valued my feedback and contributions.

I was given continuous guidance and support when needed. A weekly 1:1 kept me on track of my development and allowed for any questions on both sides. I was asked daily how I was getting on, if I needed help with any tasks and tips for particular tasks. If my manager or supervisor were not available or out of the office, they would tell me who I could contact for help and would also delegate someone as my point of contact for any support I needed.

Personally, due to the area of the business I was involved with and due to the fact that a department and management restructure began a week before my internship started, I was very busy throughout my placement. Some days were well balanced and others were particularly busy which meant I either had to take a shorter break or stay longer after my shift finished. Busy was good though, it meant that the working day went fast and I had a lot to show for my efforts during my placement.

I was given huge amounts of responsibility within my role at LBG. I Supported the Senior Operations Manager, Training Specialist, Team Managers and Colleagues to run the business through a massive restructure and was given the responsibilty and ownership I never would have imagined. I have been providing insight for the Team regarding shift patterns and competencies to be able to make decisions and run their business on a day to day basis. During my role I reported to the Senior Ops Manager and the Training Specialist.

I have been luckily enough to develop an array of new skills over the past year, as well as developing existing. At the beginning of my internship I was nervous just talking to colleagues and the idea of talking to Senior Management was terrifying. However, by the end of my summer internship I was talking to colleagues on a daily basis and even presented to Senior Management. These new found skills will not only help me in my studies but also after I graduate and start my career in the finacial industry. The internship role and stream diretly alligned with my Degree of Study.

The atmosphere was briliant in every office I worked in or visited. Everyone was friendly and there was a great buzz about the offices. Everyday felt like a Friday.There was always social events going on and there was a real sense of community. The LBG values were enchoed and showed throughout. Everyone was happy to help when needed and introduce themselves. Nobody seemed to mind having to come to work everyday.

So well organised I would find it hard to fault it. Every aspect was thought about and carried out. The reason this programme was so appealing to me was because it allowed me to explore different areas of the business during a 10 week programme. At my induction I was given a calendar of what to expect over the following weeks, I had the freedom to explore othe areas and departments and all opportunites were presented to everyone.

The Personal Training and Development I undertook this year was probably the most rewarding part of my experience. Throughout the intenship I have undertaken a development curriculum which consisted of online training, a development plan which was reviewed constantly and a scorecard to keep track of my progress. LBG give every intern the tools and opportunity to learn, train and develop. They are big on retention and genuinely want people to stay with the company.

Future employment prospects are very appealing with LBG, if you perform well during your internship the expectation is that you will return to do the Graduate programme upon graduation the following year. My training and development has been invested in so heavily that when I return my knowledge of the business will be far more extensive that a graduate who hasn’t completed the internship. LBG have competitive salaries for graduates and are very good at promoting internally which I feel is an important consideration.

Very much so, the other internship students were from across the globe. If you are having to relocate city for the internship, LBG will provide you with accomodation and pay for it aswell, This was great as it meant there was around 45 of us in Edinburgh at the same place so it was easy to socialise. Having the weekends off helped with going out for drinks and sharing experiences. We also took part in a charity challenege whereby we were put in teams and have to raise the most money for Children In Need, which also helped with networking.

As I was put in accomodation for free then the cost of living was miniscule. The area the acomodation in was not overly expensive and the local bars/resatuarants were reasonably priced. Being a capital city, Edinburgh is not overly priced. At the end of the day I often found that you get what you pay for. Only had to pay for food and washing, no rent or bills.

I love the nightlife of Edinbugh. Especially during the Fringe festival which was on during my placement. I couldnt think of any city better in the UK. Edinburgh nightlife girates to hip-hop, techno and soul to jazz and blues and folk music, Edinburgh vibrates to a beat that will hit the mark with music and dance lovers of all genres.

Yes - it seemed like ther were lots of opportunities for employees to get involved in activities outside of work. There were sports teams, as well as general socialising, and charity/pro bono type activities - employees can take a day off to use it as they wish e.g. for a cause they want to support. There were even lunchtime activities.