Insurance Intern Review

My internship was very enjoyable, due to the people working there creating such an inclusive and friendly environment. I gained a very good understanding of GI, and learned a lot from my time there. I felt valued by my colleagues and enjoyed working on a variety of projects for the business.

From day one, my colleagues made sure that I felt included and part of the team. Everyone was very welcoming, from front-line staff to senior management, it was easy to talk to anyone! Colleagues ensured that they gave feedback on the work I did and would highlight the importance of the projects I worked on so I knew that I was making a real difference.

My line manager was very supportive in helping to shape the type of work I did throughout my time at Lloyds, and was keen to ensure I worked on tasks I could contribute my skills to and that I rotated around different projects to meet a variety of teams. In the first week, my line manager created a schedule for me to visit all the different areas of the business, which really helped me to get a good understanding of the role of the centre, which I found invaluable.

How busy my days were was very variable; some days I was given large tasks to do however other days I was less busy. I always made sure I had work to complete and was proactive in asking for more if I had nothing to do, overall my days never felt too busy.

At the start of my internship I was given tasks to complete with low importance, however as my time progressed there I gained the trust of my colleagues and was able to contribute towards high priority/important tasks, and work more independently, meaning I always felt comfortable with the level of responsibility I was given.

I gained valuable insight into the importance of networking and stakeholder management, which will help me to progress in any future jobs I have after graduating from University. My degree is quite different from Banking, so I didn't gain many skills that could be applicable in that respect, but I do feel I really developed my interpersonal/people skills during my time there.

I liked how relaxed the office environment was; there was no red tape/clear cut lines in interaction between frontline colleagues and senior management which I was really impressed by. In addition to this, every Friday was dress down day and overall there was a strong feeling of team spirit instilled in the office.

The internship was fairly well structured, with an intern induction day being held in London on the first day of our placements, which all interns from across the UK attended. I felt this was a very good introduction and it helped to set the scene of what was expected from us, as well as the opportunity to network with my peers. As mentioned previously, I had a set timetable for my first week in my office, which was really useful in giving structure to my intial days and help me familiarise myself.

Lloyds is keen to champion their graduate programme, which I think is very appealing as they offer a good starting salary and the opportunity to rotate your placement to experience different areas of the group. Interns do not have to go through the same recruitment process as external graduates do, so I would say it is definitely worthwhile trying to secure an internship if you are thinking of enrolling onto the graduate scheme!

Due to the smaller size of the contact centre compared to other placements within the group, I was the only intern in the office. As a result interaction with other interns was very limited, however I was living at home and my friends were also home for the summer, so I was able to socialise with them. If you are renting/don't originally live here I do think you might have difficulties in socialising with other placement students, but it entirely depends on whether you mind this or not.

I lived at home for the duration of my internship; therefore my cost of living was very low. However Lloyds cover the cost of rented accommodation so either way this works out to be cheap. The cost of living can be low if you shop around for bargains at supermarkets, and going out can be reasonable for southern prices!