PBE Intern Review

I really enjoyed my internship in the Wealth arm of Barclays UK. My team was incredibly welcoming right from the off and made a real effort to get me involved with as much as they could. Everyone, across Barclays, was really happy to take the time out of their day to answer questions and to help you discover more about their business area and the bank as a whole.

I felt very valued by my team and by other employees across Barclays. From day 1, they all made an effort to get me involved in important project and to give me meaningful work that would give me a real insight into the world of banking and what goes on behind the scenes. I really felt like a part of the team and that the work I did was appreciated by others.

I was given lots of support by my manager. I had a line manager, who I saw a little less often, but then I also had another manager who I worked more closely alongside. He would often come over and ask how everything was going and helped me to organise a number of meetings with employees across Barclays and even helped me get along to a client meeting with one of the other bankers.

How busy I was varied from day-to-day. When on a 9-week internship, I think it is difficult for a team to balance how much work to give you. However, when I wasn't busy with work, there were so many other things that you do to make good use of your time. For example, I tried to organise as many meetings as I could with people across my area and other areas of the business.

I feel like I was given quite a lot of responsibility for an intern. I was included in a number of important projects that were all very interesting and I was working with a number of senior employees. I was also given the responsibility to cover the phones whenever my teammates were in meetings or at lunch, which was really great practice for the future.

I think that the skills I have both learnt and developed will help me partially with my degree but more so with my career after university. I think that relationship management (a large part of my role) is a huge part of all areas of life and so that will certainly help out at university and after. I also thing I have learnt so much about the financial world that will prove hugely useful as I hope to go into a job in finance.

There was a really great atmosphere in my office and especially within my team. There was a really friendly ambiance and lots of laughter but at the same time, we would all get the work that was necessary done. I think it was a great balance between enjoying your workplace and doing what is required of you to a high level. My team all got on really well with each other so there was a really good vibe.

The internship was really well organised. We were kept updated throughout the year by HR and so when we started we were all comfortable with what was expected from us and how to make the most of the internship. The teams had also been briefed by HR and so they had already organised things that they would be able to get us involved in, which made a massive difference and helped make the internship a great experience.

The firm invested a great deal in us. We attended a two-day training course at the started, where a number of guest speakers attended, in order to gain more of an insight into all areas of the bank rather than just the area you would be joining. I also attended a training specific to my role, which was organised by my team, and this was incredibly useful in helping me develop my skills and learn more about my role.

Future employment prospects are certainly very appealing. There are so many different roles that are available and all the other employees I've spoken to have talked about the huge range of opportunities at Barclays. it really seems like there are enough roles that you could easily spend an entire career here without getting bored or stuck in a particular role. Given the opportunity, I would definitely take a role at Barclays without hesitation.

Went for drinks after work everyone now and then and also to this Boot Camp fitness session each week organised by a teammate.

London so it was very expensive everywhere - there was an accommodation grant that helped out massively, though.

The nightlife was quite good but expensive, you're better off to go elsewhere in London rather than staying in Canary Wharf.

See social activities section.