Corporate Banking Summer Analyst Review

I have enjoyed my internship a lot! Giving up 10 weeks of my (possibly) last student summer seemed like a lot, but I am very happy I have chosen to spend my time doing the internship. To be completely honest I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I have. I was very surprised that it was actually a great experience! And I will still get to travel in September using the money I have made during the summer (Win-Win).

I felt very valued by my colleagues. My line manager has asked me to work on some independent projects that have required collaboration with my colleagues. They were always nice and had no problems with explaining things to me/giving me advice. . They always asked me for opinions and suggestions when working on a project together. When working on projects with my colleagues they would always ask me for opinions/thoughts/suggestions.

I have been given a lot of support and guidance! All of the interns (London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham, and Brighton) were invited to participate in a 3 day induction in Edinburgh where we were welcomed into the bank and introduced to its values and ambitions. After returning to my regional office I had weekly 1 to 1 meetings with my line manager and I felt like I could ask for help from anyone on my team..

I was very busy in the weeks coming up to my assessment presentation and the CSR challenge. During other days it was more about being eager to take on projects and jobs and making myself busy, but my colleagues were very nice about giving me projects and feedback during the internship.

I have been given quite a lot of responsibility. I was asked to organise an event which required me to contact the speakers (external) and think about how would we like to have it set up. I was invited to come along to quite a few client meetings where I had an opportunity to interact with heads of corporate businesses and propose ideas/ask questions. I have also been asked to perform some crucial financial analysis that was needed to establish credit limits.

Surprisingly - as an Economics and Finance student - I did not know much about specific banking products. During my internship I have learned a lot and know that I will be able to use my new knowledge and professional network during my last year of University (especially when writing my dissertation).

The general atmosphere in the office was great! Everyone was very nice, open, and helpful. During my first day I have got introduced not only to my team but also to my whole floor! I have not come across a rude person in the office. People are a real asset of RBS!

The internship set up was quite well organised (but it will depend from your line manager). There are 3 days of overall bank induction at the beginning, an assessed project and a corporate social responsibility challenge in week 8, and a 'thank you' dinner on the second to last day. These events are the structure of the internship, what happens on a day to day basis will depend form your line manager and your team. During the 1 on 1 meetings with your manager you are able to talk about what would you like to do within the team/what do you want to learn/what do you enjoy etc. There could be a little more universal structure during the first couple of days of your internship in the office but overall it was a good experience!

My line manager has spend quite a bit of time explaining financial solutions to me. I have also had an opportunity to meet with product experts outside of my team (FX, Coutts, International Trade). When preparing for my final presentation one of my colleagues has spend a lot of time working with me, giving me suggestions, and making sure I was ready for the big day! There were also some workshops, training sessions, and telephone sessions anyone could participate in based on their interest.

The graduate programme with RBS lasts 2 years. It is designed as 4 rotations (each 6 months, you get a chance to apply to the sectors of the bank you would like to work in). I have met some current graduates and they were all very happy with the programme. They have all shared my views about the company!

The social scene among fellow placement students was quite good in my opinion. Working towards the CSR challenge each week has allowed us to become good friends. There were 2 local internship events organised by the current graduates (both after work in bars, both involved food and drinks). Implementing sports clubs into the internship could be a good idea though. (There are sports societies in the main locations: London and Edinburgh, but haven't heard of any in the regional offices).

The cost of living and socialising in the area I worked in was quite high because my building was located in the financial hub of the city. I have lived outside of the area though (was taking a bus to work) which was very affordable! The further away form the financial centre the cheaper socialising would get. Public transportation is great though so it wasn't hard at all!

The Nightlife in Manchester is amazing! There are so many: clubs, bards, pubs, music venues - you name it! Anyone can find something they would be interested on doing on a night out, and the available variety makes it great! Some bars offer student discounts as well as RBS employee discounts which is great!

As I have mentioned before there were two socials organised after work. My team has also had its own social which was a great time! We have done an activity and then went out for a couple drinks! My line manager has also organised an 'end of internship' lunch for me which was a great experience! In my experience, the amount of socialising was just quite right! It wasn't overwhelming, but enough to get to know your fellow interns/graduates and team well!