This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

3.4/5
  • The Role
    3.7
  • The Company
    3.4
  • The Culture
    3.0

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
  • I enjoyed my internship very much and felt that I gained a lot of experience working within a corporate environment. The internship was within the Finance division in Edinburgh and I enjoyed learning about the various roles and functions which make up the finance teams. I was given the opportunity to complete some demanding tasks individuals which gave me a further sense of responsibility and enhanced my overall experience.

    4/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
  • The team atmosphere and culture within Finance was great and very comfortable to work in. I felt at ease with my colleagues very quickly and nothing was too much bother for them to help me with. All colleagues, regardless of their senior position within the bank were always available to offer support and guidance and to spend time with me when needed. Therefore, I would agree feeling valued by my colleagues.

    4/5

  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
  • I think that they tried to support me as much as they could during the internship but with the team never having an intern before and also the size of the team, some things were not explained as thoroughly as they could be. However at the beginning of the internship I got a lot of support but as time progressed I had to be more proactive and use my initiative to go through some of the tasks given.

    3/5

  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
  • There were both periods of being busy and times where the day went in rather slow. When the team was busy I too often became busy, but there were instances were I had nothing to do and the team was struggling to find tasks for me to complete. However, there were projects that did run over the course of the internship to keep my busy, so I always had things to research

    3/5

  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
  • I was given responsibility for my own personal project at the beginning of the internship and this carried my through to the final weeks. It was rewarding to know that the work I had completed will be used my the team once my internship finished and that I was added value to the work of others. Early on I was given responsibility to carry out daily/monthly review tasks, which would be checked by much senior members of the team.

    5/5

  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • The skill of time management will assist my as I continue my degree studies as I was able to better use my time while in and out of the office. Also the office environment is a skill which will be of great use in the future for jobs and in learning how to conduct yourself. I also have the opportunity to network with colleagues within the bank, creating new contacts and networks for the future.

    5/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
  • The office atmosphere was generally quite good. People do have conversations other than work at times, and are keen to get to know you. The office has recently introduced monthly drinks and this was a great way to get to know more people within the office. However, many people tend to work later making social events far and few between.

    3/5

  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
  • The internship programme was really well set up and was very good and informative. HR sent bi-weekly emails with updates on tasks to do and a timeline was given at the start of the internship with a programme to follow. When I arrived at my location office I had a desk and a laptop to work from, however many of the IT systems access had not been requested and so the first week was spent waiting on approval. A standard in any new job though.

    4/5

  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • There was lots of online training sessions to follow and many face to face training sessions were organised.

    4/5

  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
  • 3/5

  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
  • I would love to come back as a graduate next year and I have been given a referral to attend an assessment centre for a place on the graduate scheme. I genuinely believe that this would be a great company to work for and an ideal place to begin a career. However, places on the graduate scheme seem to be more competitive each year.

    4/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
  • All the students are placed into accommodation together by the company which is fully paid for which is a definite perk. There was definitely opportunities to socialise outside of work and many nights out were organised at the accommodation. The internship also gives out challenges to complete and you are put into different teams so this is a great way to meet new people.

    4/5

  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
  • The accommodation is paid for by the company which is a bonus and a real perk. Living in Edinburgh is expensive due to the time of year but in comparison to the living costs of London, it is not really an issue. During the festival season there was many free shows to go and see and decent student places to go if you are watching your money.

    3/5

  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
  • Staying in Edinburgh the Fringe is on during August and so there are lots of shows and acts to go and see. Near the accommodation there was lots of food places and bars and clubs. So you were never really short of any options for nights out and socialising together.

    4/5

  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
  • 3/5

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Details

Internship (1 Month+)

Banking

Scotland

August 2018


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