Summer intern Review

The whole experience was very enjoyable, as there are many valuable opportunities which Santander has to offer. Santander has a very friendly and welcoming atmosphere, which meant that I never felt afraid to ask questions, and as a result I have been able to learn in so many different aspects.

Everyone is very welcoming, and is willing to help whenever or wherever they can. In my team, I felt valued as I was given work that was important, and they showed their appreciation when the work was completed. Also, by being given work that was challenging proved that my team saw my capability and valued me as a team member.

There is a great support system at Santander, who are always willing to help you, and are constantly looking for new ways to make the employee's experience better. I had weekly 121 meetings with my line manager and buddy, where we discussed my progress, and what the next steps for me will be in the following week. Also in this meeting, my line manager asked what I aim to get out of my next week, and he would make suggestions for areas for me to work on.

I was lucky to have been working in finance during the lead up to the HY financial report, as this is one of the most busy and important times of the year. During this period I was very busy helping my team where I could, and I carried out tasks which faced tight deadlines. Once everything was submitted, the workload decreased and I was less busy.

I have learnt a lot which I will take away with me when I go back to university. I have been able to develop practical skills such as working on excel, which will help me in my degree, as well as in my future career. There are many soft skills which I have developed, which are equally as important, including the development of my interpersonal skills.

The atmosphere was friendly, but also focused, which is something that I liked. This made it an enjoyable environment to work in, but also enabled me to work hard due to everyone's strong work ethic. I found the atmosphere had a perfect balance between all the factors I would like in a working environment.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Santander, and the 10 week internship has confirmed that it is a place where I would like a career. There are many opportunities for one to develop their key skills, and Santander aims at utilising everyone's talents. I have felt valued and welcomed whilst being an employee.

I was based in London, therefore the social scene was good as London has a lot to offer. I got along very well with the other interns in my department, and so we often arranged nights together after work. I also attended a couple of organised work drinks, which involved a large number of employees. This gave me the opportunity to socialise with colleagues who I wouldn't typically speak to on a daily basis.

I lived at home during my internship, but the cost of travel was very expensive. Being based in London, the cost of socialising was also expensive in the particular area where the office is based. However, if you know London well, eating out and drinking can be made cheaper. However, in general the cost of living is expensive.

The nightlife in London is good for whatever one looks for in a night out. For me, there was not much near the office, so I would go out in the evenings in other areas of London. Due to the location of the office, this was easy as it is located by several tube stations.

Outside of work, we had a CSR challenge, which involved Santander interns across the country being put into groups, and we had the task of raising as much money as possible for Age UK and Barnardo's. This was a good opportunity as I was able to meet with interns from another office to me, and it enabled us to have our own project separate to work to focus on.