Intern Review

I absolutely loved it! Going into it I was apprehensive as I didn't know much about Internal Audit or what I would be doing. However, from the first day I was made to feel welcome, and given real audit work to complete. I've been able to get quite involved in the current audit, being tasked with carrying out testing during the fieldwork phase, and getting involved in stakeholder engagements. I've learnt so much and appreciate the responsibility given to me. The other activities included in our internship have also been enjoyable. The fundraising challenge was good fun, and was a great way to meet other interns form across the business while supporting an excellent cause. The group research task was challenging, however it has provided me with an in depth understanding of the IA department and it has allowed me to work closely with senior managers and the other IA interns.

I felt incredibly valued by my colleagues. They provided me with all of the help and support I needed initially, allowing me to feel far more confident in my own abilities. They trusted me with completing important work as part of our current audit, often inviting me into discussions to give my point of view or opinions on certain matters. I was made to feel like a member of the team from day one, being invited along to stakeholder engagements where I could ask my own questions about queries I'd raised. They appreciated the work I had completed, and we happy to use the work going forward.

I was given all the help and support I needed rom day one. My line manager was always happy to take time out to answer any questions I had or to talk me through a process. Other colleagues did much the same, taking considerable amount of time out of their days to teach me how to test, so I could contribute to the current audit. I was always confident that any question I had would be answered, with me colleagues in Edinburgh often calling me to provide answers or give me feedback on the cases I had completed.

I was usually quite busy. I always tried to get in early so I could have a head start on the day before I was given audit work to complete. On busier days this was particularly helpful, however on quieter days the early start usually meant the afternoons could be quite slow, without much work to do. However, quiet days were few, with most weeks being busy. Some days were completely full with testing and meetings, and days out of office with stakeholder engagements. Other days provided some free time where I had the opportunity to consolidate what I had learned and devote time to the group project and research.

I was given quite a lot of responsibility during my internship, being tasked with completing over 30 testing cases as part of the fieldwork phase. These were all sent forward to the stakeholder (after they had been quality checked by my colleague), with my finding being highlighted as potential issues. As part of the group project, we had to analyse proposals from external companies, and identify any gaps against the proposals. My analysis was taken forward to adapt our approach for these proposals. I was also nominated as Team Leader for our fundraising challenge, which involved liaising with the CSR council to submit our business proposal, and organising meetings with the team.

I feel the analysis skills developed over my internship will help me greatly in my mathematics degree. I have had to analyse quite complex cases, often having to take a step back and assess the information we have been provided with before moving forward. This is a helpful skill to have, and I feel it will help me while studying/revising. Moreover, I feel I am better at organising my time and staying organised, which will help me greatly as I have to plan to meet deadlines with coursework and homework.

The atmosphere was always friendly and welcoming. While it was often quiet as people got on with work, my colleagues were always happy to chat and answer my questions. Colleagues in other departments were always friendly, and would always say hello. There was a great sense of community in the department, as I was able to work closely with the other interns, which meant I was able to meet people in various other departments and network.

The internship was fairly well organised. With regards to my placement and work in my IA team, it was very well organised, being given a lot to do with continuous feedback and discussion. I had regular meetings with my line manager to see how I was doing and answer any questions I had. The fundraising challenge was also well organised, with a launch event and follow up emails/sessions to ensure we would be ready to hold the event on the day. The group project was far less organised, only being told what to do officially at the end of week 5, which left us with 2 and a half weeks to work on it before our presentations. It was quite stressful given we were meant to find out at the start of the internship, however we managed to get enough work done to present about it.

The company took considerable time to provide training and development. Every two weeks we had a 'Spotlight' sessions, which was a presentation highlighting key areas of the bank, and providing us with an insight into the way the bank operates and the key processes. We has extensive training over our induction, which was held in Edinburgh, and online training upon starting in the office. The online training covered all key areas, including conduct, safety and group policy training. This helped to give a well rounded view of the bank and the expectations on us before getting involved in real work.

They are very appealing. I have always wanted to work in finance and work towards my ACCA qualifications to become a chartered accountant. This is something that would be paid for by RBS should I get a place on the graduate scheme following my assessment at the end of my internship. Once qualified, there are opportunities to work you way up in your department, or move into other departments/ areas of the bank which is something that really appeals to me.

Yes. The other interns and I got to know each other really well, and would arrange to have lunch together most days. We also tried to arrange social events after work once a week, and sometimes at the weekends too. Among colleagues, there were always work socials being held, be it for leaving drinks or department social events. It was great to get to know colleagues from other departments and network.

Being in London, it was quite expensive. Food and Drinks were at the upper end of the expected price range, meaning it was often cheaper to bring lunch in from home. This made socialising quite expensive too, however it was always worth it one night a week. Travel in London is also expensive, and can cost around £10 a day depending how far out you live. I was lucky in that I live in London anyway, so I had no rent to consider while I completed my placement, but I know it can be astronomical depending on whereabouts in London you rent.

Nightlife in London is always great, and around the office there was a great social scene. As there are a number of big offices located around the area, there were often a lot of people, and many places were always busy, which gave a good atmosphere. There are loads of bars around the area, with some really nice places towards Shoreditch and Brick Lane. The West End is only 10 mins away by train so there were more than enough options for a night out.

There were a few opportunities. The fundraising challenge gave us the chance to have a day off of work to hold our fundraising event and raise awareness for our chosen charity. There were also events like coding club, 5 aside football, and a IA social of a treasure hunt in the square mile around the office which was great fun.