IT Business Analyst Review

I enjoyed getting to experience an office environment a lot. Having never done so before, it was a learning experience to have to adapt to such a new culture. Whilst I feel that I was not pushed mentally and intellectually (which is understandable, given the specialist nature of my placement), I still feel like I learned a lot and enjoyed it too.

I felt that my colleagues enjoyed having me around. They were always very nice and social – it was clear that they were making an effort to get to know me, which I really do appreciate. Additionally, when I completed a task, they would always offer positive comments on the quality of my work as well as constructive feedback. They cared about my development.

When setting a task, they always made it clear to me that they are available to answer any questions I may have at any time. This made me feel comfortable in the working environment. Additionally, they understood that I had a lot to learn and did not make unrealistic expectations of me. I was also given the freedom to explore areas that I felt like I wanted to work on e.g. Microsoft Excel, with 100% of their support.

This definitely varied a lot. In the first couple of weeks, I had a lot of free time because my tasks were mostly just completing training which one was advised to do in short bursts. Around the halfway point, I experienced much busier days with several meetings and several tasks from different people. In the last few weeks, once I had completed the biggest task I had done, I began to have a lot of free time once more.

I was always invited to important meetings and events e.g. away days, presentation days etc. Whilst I did not have a huge role in them, I felt valued and not forgotten – the emphasis of this internship was on learning rather than “running the show”. My biggest task was quite an important one, for which I had many different people helping me.

I have a much bigger appreciation for basic competences. I have drastically improved my time management, organisation and communication skills – all crucial things needed to succeed in the working world. My work here was not very relevant to my degree and I was not expecting it to be. I have improved my skill in Microsoft Excel too.

I was located in a big office with over 1000 people meaning the canteen and social areas often had a lot of people in it. My desk was located in a fairly quiet area relative to the rest of the office. Everyone was very nice and helpful – there was always a positive atmosphere which allowed me to feel comfortable when working.

Given that there were over 200 other interns this summer, they did a fantastic job. However, some internships were clearly better organised than others. I feel like mine was set up well – my tasks were clear, details of my internship (city, office location, working hours etc.) were very clear and I always had someone to talk to if I had an issue. However, some parts, e.g. claiming back expenses, were organised dreadfully.

The company clearly made a lot of effort in terms of personal development and general employability. There were several sessions on personal branding, how to network etc. in conjunction with several events where such skills could be practiced e.g. networking events, guest talks etc. I had 3 meetings with my line manager regarding my progress and development which I thought were very helpful.

As a part of the scholarship which gave me this internship, I have been offered to do another internship next summer which could lead to a referral to their graduate programme. Whilst I enjoyed this internship, I will not do it again simply because I do not feel a career at Lloyds aligns with my life goals and the elements I want in a career.

Most of the interns lived in the same accommodation which meant that we all spent a lot of time together. This added an exciting element to not only doing the internship, but living in Edinburgh for the summer. I have made good friends and established a much valued network. Colleagues in my office were also social – they took the time to get to know me and we spoke about a lot of things.

As accommodation was free, living costs were not too high. However, having an apartment in the city centre did mean that prices in the area could be quite extortionate. On the other hand, Edinburgh has a large student population so I always felt that I had the resources to enjoy myself as well as live comfortably enough to do my internship.

As I said before, Edinburgh has a large student population so an impressive nightlife came with this. Especially with the fringe happening, there is always something to get up to in the evening whether it be a nightclub, bar, pub etc. The fact that I was living with other students meant that there were others to do those things with.

There was a lot going on during my internship thanks to the Fringe festival, meaning there were so many chances to get involved in other things. There were also sports clubs close to both home and work. A few of us even played in an interns vs workers football tournament. Some others decided to get involved in the cricket club nearby.