Group Operations Intern Review

I found the internship within IT Services very interesting. I took on a section of a large project for Lloyds Banking Group which had real responsibilities. The work was challenging but not impossible and was required and valued as part of the overall project. At times the workload was a little slow but it was easy enough to obtain more as there was always something that needed doing.

My colleagues really valued the work I completed and respected my opinions. They sought advice from me and used it to influence their decisions. My colleagues really cared about my wellbeing at work and did everything they could to make me feel comfortable in a new environment.

My manager provided support and guidance when necessary but also let me figure out things for myself. The project contained several challenging areas which required lots of specific knowledge. Sometimes my manager would provide me with this while other times he would provide a source where I could obtain it from. This had the advantage of developing relationships outside of my immediate team which helped networking across the bank.

Occasionally there wasn't enough to do while other times there was a lot. I had to manage my time effectively during the busy periods which was challenging but not into the realm of stressful. Other times there was a lack of work which meant I instead had to look for my own. However, there were enough people in the department with too much to do that taking on tasks was never an issue.

I was given a large amount of responsibility within the sections I took on. Within some areas I was making decisions that would directly impact areas of the project. On other occasions I would report findings to a higher power so they would be able to check what I had done. But responsibility was duly given at an appropriate level given the serious nature of the project I was involved in.

I have learnt how to appropriately conduct myself within a professional environment but also how to prioritise and manage tasks when there is a lot to do. This has been very helpful and will continue to be within degree studies and beyond as effective time management is an effective life skill. Other things such as communication and effective learning have also been developed while on this internship.

The general atmosphere was relatively relaxed but with a core work ethic. Two days a week were casual down days and a lot of people chose to work from home on a regular basis. I could also choose to do this if I wished. However, everyone took their work seriously and were very helpful if I had any questions concerning the job role.

The work placement was very well organised with nearly everything setup and ready to go when I arrived. My department had made sure I had everything I needed to work effectively from the day I got there and constant help and support was granted where required. Lloyds provided us with manager details in advance so that we could conduct an introductory phone call with them before we arrived which really helped with any questions I had before the internship started.

The company provided an expenses paid mandatory internship induction on the first day of the internship. They gave us an overview of what the general structure of the internship would take and what they expected from us. They also provided us with online training throughout the internship which covered many key areas of how to conduct yourself within a professional role and how to react to certain situations such as bribery and bullying within the workplace.

Future employment within the organisation is very appealing. The internship I have done offers the chance to also participate in Lloyds graduate scheme after I have graduated. It has a very good starting salary with a good opportunity for promotion within the first five years. The grad scheme rotates through 2 to 3 key areas of the bank before internally applying for a permanent position. They have a very good end-to-end process in place which promises a good future career with Lloyds Banking Group.

The social scene was good as Lloyds obtained the nearby university halls accommodation for all of the local interns to live in. This meant we could easily communicate with each other and it provided a social background while not at work. Colleagues were also sociable with work organised meals and social events on an occasional basis.

Living in Cardiff was far cheaper than some areas such as London, but still not overly so. The cost of living with regards to rent and bills was covered by Lloyds so by comparison it was much cheaper than it could've been. Being in a city centre means things are as expensive as you want them to be, within reason. It was fairly easy to live cheaply but equally easy to splash the cash on nights out and expensive pubs. The cost of living was up to how you wanted to spend your money.

Being in Cardiff city centre meant there was a large amount of clubs and pubs available of varying quality. So the Nightlife was very varied which made it interesting to try different things. There's more than one local whetherspoons so even with student budgeting in mind you're still spoilt for choice. Otherwise your Netflix subscription is just as valid anywhere in the country.

Part of the Lloyds internship scheme was to take part in a Charity Challenge. Lloyds have partnered up with Mental Health UK and within our teams of local interns we were challenged to raise as much money as possible for MHUK during our time on the scheme. This gave us the opportunity to both hold, and get involved in, many activities outside of work and added an interesting side-line to the internship values.