Spring into Technology Programme Review

It was a genuinely blast. J.P. had set up a full 3 days of activities, most of which involved working with other people in groups as well as with employees acting like mentors. It was a great experience and this way, we got to meet new people as well as see how a financial institution like J.P. operates. The best part was being put out of our comfort zones. Each activity had a specific purpose, and while it was not always clear at first why we were doing what we were doing, at the end everything was always explained. No one felt like they were doing something meaningless.

I think that the employees at J.P. were indeed interested in hearing what we have to say. They always asked thought-provoking questions, and interacted with us during the activities and outside of them as well. Everyone was open to talk to and it was not how I had expected it to go; I had expected it to be a very formal and somewhat stuffy situation, but it was the complete opposite and I was very pleasantly surprised.

I felt like this was something that could be improved upon. The mentors for each group did a great job, but most of the time we were on our own. They were not mentors as much as observers, and I think it would be better to call them that as to not confuse people on what their purpose is.

I think the biggest takeaway (for me, at least) is that communication is still one of the most important skills someone can have. Even in a field like computer science, where the stereotype is that everyone is focused on their code and glaring at their screens, communication is wildly important. Working in a group is valued as well, and I think J.P. did a very good job of showing that to us and giving us a taste of what it is like. These two skills can be applied to almost anything else that we do.

I had no problems with the structure. I do think it was a little packed for three days, but I understand that making it an actual week would be a bit too much. I do think we could have used more job shadowing, with different people. This allows us to gain an even deeper insight into how a day at J.P. could be like.

It was very professional, sometimes serious, but never did I once feel any pressure or any malicious. We had a great time, and we were encouraged to go around and talk with everyone. All in all, it was relaxed and loose, but at the same time professional. I think that this combination encouraged us to do better, because we felt comfortable with what we were doing, and with no crazy external pressure, it allowed us to think clearly.

J.P. obviously had a lot invested in us. They provided us with a spacious room, office equipment, laptops to use, free breakfast/lunch, 2 socials with an open bar/food, and a myriad of other things. However, in terms of personal training and development, obviously, it is not what they would offer their interns or full-time employees, as we are meant to get only a taste of what it is like. Nonetheless, they did not skimp on any resources and I felt like they cared about us.

I do think some of the activities we did show us what it would be like, but at the same time, they had added various twists to each activity to try to make it more fun and more open for everyone. I have nothing wrong with that, but I felt like the overall purpose of each activity could be lost or misinterpreted with these twists.

The job shadowing definitely helped us to gain a better understanding of the company culture. We were allowed to ask any question we could think of and this way, we got to see everyone's view of the company culture. We were not allowed to go outside of our designated areas, however, so we could not see more of the office layout.

It left a good impression on me, and I do think it will play a big part when I start applying.

I did not require any reimbursement as I live in Glasgow and the office is nearby.

We had a social dinner the second night, and there were a bunch of employees around to talk to. It did get hectic as there were about 70 attendees all trying to talk to 10-15 employees, and so we could not get a chance to talk to everyone. On the first social, they had some employees who were doing internships/placements with us and so it gave us a chance to talk to them directly. Besides the socials, there were also the job shadows which allowed us to talk with the employee we were shadowing as well as their team.

They were loads of fun. It was at the end of the day, and so everyone was tired, and in a way that just made it easier to talk to people. We had all done the same activities and it gave us a lot of talking points. The free food/drinks were of course a definite plus.

Not as much. We were told about some of the activities that employees get involved in/have to be involved in, but besides those they did not tell us any more.

Oh yeah definitely. Originally I had not applied, but they fast-tracked me because I did Code for Good, and I figured it couldn't hurt. I was not expecting much, but was incredibly pleasantly surprised.