Summer Intern Review

I have enjoyed my internship at Lloyds Banking Group. The first two weeks of my project was a bit dull because of the constant research but it progressively became more interesting as I began to delve into it and be involved within the team. As well as being in the office, I have also enjoyed the Helping Britain Prosper Challenge – working with fellow interns and being able to help make a difference.

I feel valued by my colleagues and do not feel that I am someone outside of the team simply because I am an intern. I feel very much part of the team as I am involved with all the stand-ups, weekly catch-ups and meetings. As well as this, I feel that my contribution is valued by everyone.

There is always support and guidance available from my line manager and fellow colleagues. I have catch-ups with my line manager so there are regular updates with what I am doing, and I am always able to ask any questions if I ever need help or reassurance. As well as my line manager, everyone is happy to give some time to chat and help.

My days at the office vary as some days can be quite hectic and full of meetings. Whilst other days are relatively calmer so I can simply just get stuck into my work, focusing on a specific and continue with what needs to be done. Although there are calm days, there is never a time where I have nothing to do.

I was given a lot of responsibility during my internship. I was given a project and I was able to handle it the way I wanted. I wasn't restricted in always having to ask for permission to do what I wanted. I was free to work around my project. However, I was still able to ask others for help or guidance whenever I needed it.

The skills I developed during the internship has enabled me to become even more confident as I have been able to practise it in the real world. The training I received was a great experience because I would not have been able to gain this during university. It was new and having the chance to learn from professionals gave me greater knowledge and insight to the field.

The agile environment in the lab was a different working culture as to a traditional bank. This was not what I expected but the environment was comfortable and calm, which I enjoyed. Although it was not as tense, everyone was still very much serious in ensuring the task was done and that the customers were the main focus.

Overall the internship was organised as I knew what I had to be doing and I had a plan of what to expect during the 10-week period. I feel that The Helping Britain Project was not as organised as there were some confusion with the process and documentation of events. The page containing all the information was also not very clear. However, the organisation of my internship in the lab was done very well.

I attended a training course on service design to further my understanding and be able to apply it to the service design blueprint I created. The intranet also had many training and information available that interns could be involved in. The 10-week period allowed me to gain some personal development as it is an experience that is able to help shape you as a person.

It is great as many interns are able to gain a referral to the graduate programme, including myself. It cuts down the process of applying again as it is simply another interview, a review of your balance scorecard and calibration. After the internship, both LBG and I are able to know that we match well with one another.

I was only able to socialise with those in my charity group, IT project group and others in my building. I have made great friends with fellow interns, who I still speak to after the internship. I do feel that there was more of a social scene for those who were provided accommodations as it was a great way to meet more interns who are outside of your group or department.

I was based in London so I lived at home and did not need to worry about my living costs as I commuted. London can be a pretty expensive area to socialise in but sometimes there can be deals on activities or drinks, such as happy hour. It can also be expensive when it is frequent.

The nightlife in London was not anything new to me as I grew up in London and pretty much have been everywhere, and experience everything. I do enjoy London, it’s a great city! However, as well as the nightlife, having great company is key to having a fun and enjoyable night.

There are many activities to do in London, you simply have to find what interests you the most.