Insurance Communication Intern Review

I really liked my internship : not only did I learn a lot of new skills and develop my confidence but all of my colleagues were lovely and helpful. Lloyds is a great company to work , especially in terms of social mobility and responsible business (charity work). They have a great working culture and have numerous networks from LGBT to Disability networks that ensures everyone is included and valued. There were many benefits to my job and I would recommend it to anyone.

I felt very valued by my colleagues. Despite being only an intern , I was given a lot of positions of responsibility which actual effected colleagues and the group. I was pleased they trusted me to take on important projects and in return they were happy with my work. It eased the pressure of their jobs that I was able to pick up some of the little tasks. I think they also enjoyed having a fresh perspective and new ideas to work with as I was coming as a completely outsider.

My manager helped me when she could , but due to the nature of her job was very busy. That being said, she ensured we had a catch up at least once a week and was always willing to answer any questions I had. I also really appreciated that she went out of her way to find me projects that she knew I would be good at and that aligned with my interests. This will help me out enormously in the future when applying for jobs as I already have some real world experience in these areas.

I was relatively busy on a daily basis , although it varied form week to week. At the start of my internship I was very busy with training and 3 projects to complete, however,a bout half way through my placement, I had finished all my projects and was struggling to find things to do. My manager allowed me to shadow other departments and help out there to ensure I was always busy. She also gave me a new project . If you are not busy there is always the option to do additional training which looks great on your cv.

I was given a lot of responsibility. I was project manager of a key event within the business. I was also solely responsible for updating the media centre website. Moreover, I had to communication strategies for key events.Every task I was given, I was expected to do on my own ( although you are able to ask for help). They place a lot of responsibility on interns, which is scary at first but it works wonders in terms of developing your confidence and improving on your skillset.

The skills I developed here will assist me in any career I choose to pursue. I got experience of working within a large organisation as well as developing soft skills such as communication and organisation , that will assist me in any job I do. It also developed my confidence in lone working and got experience as part of a key team within a business. The training was really helpful and interesting. My projects I took on developed my excel and word skills . I learned how to write strategies and reports - all of which look great on your cv and will help you in any job.

The general atmosphere of my office was friendly but busy. While everyone was very nice, and occasional there was chatting and fun. everyone was very busy so often it was just silence as everyone worked at their desks. That being said, we went on a work night out as well as a team day which helped with bonding . I also enjoyed that there was always sweets in the office! We also often ad news on in the background which made the atmosphere a little less quiet and was good for taking short breaks.

Very well. The application process was relatively simple. Placements , accommodation and travel was organised well in advance. There were helplines if you every got stuck with anything. They always kept you up to date on any changes or things you had to do through email. There were also several conference calls in advance of the internship to go over key things e.g. how to dress, how to present yourself , how to put yourself forward. It was organised extremely well and I never felt confused about what was happening or what I was supposed to do.

LLoyds has an 'emerging talent' team which focus on personal training and development of interns. They provided CV skills training, general advice conference calls and encouraged you to do training that would help you in your career. There were also a few graduate events that we were invited on to. If you were curious about working for the company or the graduate scheme there was always someone you could talk to / network with.

Very appealing - 85 % of interns go on to the graduate scheme. You are encouraged to work towards this and they will help you with anything you need to help get on to the scheme . The graduate scheme is diverse and varied and provided you with 3 years employment over three separate divisions. The future prospects at the company are endless and there are many opportunities for promotion and development.

The social scene among fellow interns was amazing - it helped that most of us were staying in the same place. We were never stuck for things to do / people to hang out with . A lot of us worked in the same office and so were able to meet up for lunch and get the bus to and from work together. We often went out on the weekend and overall the experience was very very fun.

Edinburgh is an expensive city but the area we were placed (Leith) is slightly cheaper so that helped.

Very very good. There are countless bars , pubs and restaurants and many good student clubs ( although they are expensive on the weekend). We were working during the fringe which meant we were able to go to shows after work which was great. Edinburgh is a very fun city and I would recommend the night life to anyone - you will never be stuck for things to do.