Continuous Improvement Project Assistant Review

I really enjoyed my placement as it allowed me to gain valuable insight into the finance sector and see if I could see myself working in banking in the future. I was doing fulfilling work that actually contributed to Lloyds Banking Group rather than just sitting around making teas and coffees.

I felt extremely valued by my team, they ensured that I was always doing something interesting and had good banter which made getting up in the mornings for work that bit more bearable. They would take me with them to meetings and other things that they thought might be of interest to me too.

My line manager was fantastic. She set me up on a course independently of my internship which has allowed me to gain an extra qualification for my CV. She also ensured that I was properly equipped from day one and always made sure I was enjoying what I was doing.

I was given a project which meant that I had a lot of work to do. However, this was very manageable and meant that I was rarely bored. There was a couple of days in which there wasn't much to do, however, I'd put this down to slow business days rather than the internship.

I was given a lot of responsibility during my placement as I was placed in charge of my own project. This meant that the work I was doing was very fulfilling and kept me engaged over the course of the 10 weeks that I was working for Lloyds Banking Group.

I have gained a lot of skills over the course of my internship. I have become a lot more proficient in using basic software such as Excel and Powerpoint. I have also learned skills about managing relationships with colleagues and stakeholders. As I study business management I have also seen some of the things that I've been learning about in practice.

Some of the teams in my office seemed to be very fixated on working and it didn't seem like there was much of a fun atmosphere there. However, in my team there was a lot of banter and the atmosphere was fun and uplifting. It was a joy to work there.

The overall internship was set up very well. I was equipped with a laptop on day one and there was a lot of information given to me weekly during the course of it. However, the induction event was held at the end of the second week of the internship which was quite disorganised.

I was sent on a course to get a lean six sigma green belt accreditation. I was able to attend this wholly subsidised by Lloyds Banking Group. A lot of my colleagues also spent time with me to make sure I was learning and developing my skills constantly. They exceeded my expectations.

I'm definitely interested in pursuing a career with Lloyds Banking Group in the future. They have a Graduate Leadership Programme that it is possible to get on to if the internship goes successfully. This accelerates your career progression through Lloyds and is a scheme that anybody on the internship should consider heavily.

Some of the interns have become very good friends with each other. I have made a couple of solid friendships with other interns and met other people that go to my university through the placement too. For this reason I'd say there is a very good social scene amongst fellow interns.

As I was based in London, the cost of living was extremely high. It cost me £12.50 a day to get one train to and from work. However, Lloyds Banking Group provide London based interns with a London allowance which helps to cover the higher than average living costs found within the capital.

It's London. Whatever you like is just around the corner. There are so many bars, pubs and clubs ranging from gay bars to hip-hop clubs and Irish pubs. There is everything from expensive, high-end venues to cheap and cheerful venues (such as Wetherspoons). There really is something to suit everybody's needs. To summarise: it's brilliant!