Risk Intern Review

It was a great experience, with a friendly and welcoming environment. I had the luxury of having a manager who was very helpful and easy to talk to, meaning my transition into the company was a lot easier making my experience a lot better.

Prior to the experience I was told that interns are given tedious work and treated as inferior. However at Santander I felt respected from the very first day, given engaging tasks that were challenging. I was also invited to company socials, and made to feel like a part of the Santander family.

In term so guidance there was some provided when I requested it, however I drove my experience most of the time, given everyone had busy schedules. This wasn't an issue for me, and when I did ask questions on things I didn't understand, help was offered.

The work was manageable, with enough opportunities to network and move around the offices and explore other areas of the bank. The workload meant that I had tasks and goals set to provide structure to my days, but it also meant I had the freedom to speak to others and wasn't stuck at a desk for the whole day.

Responsibilities were limited given my position as an intern and the knowledge required to handle some of the complex tasks. I was still able to complete work which would directly contribute to my team's daily tasks and projects, and also had the responsibility later on to submit work on the main platforms for the bank. Therefore in that sense responsibility did increase as I became more familiar with the work.

In terms of the skills I developed, working in a team and communicating with all types of people would be a skill I developed over the course. The coding skills I picked up, as well as the financial theory behind products will benefit me should I look to pursue this career further.

I worked in a fantastic team, who had a great balance. There was always good banter and a very inclusive feel to the office.

Network logins and basic requirements to work effectively were not organised, therefore there was significant delay in being able to start work immediately. Hot desking became an issue when everyone was in the office and no seats were available.

There wasn't much training provided, however there were online courses on the company platforms. There could have been tutorials or sessions where we were taught how to code or how to use certain essential software.

I thoroughly enjoyed working in my team, and couldn't speak highly enough of how welcome and valued I felt. Therefore working here would be a very appealing prospect, especially given the opportunities for progression as an intern, with new challenges being set and being handed enough work to expand knowledge.

Social scene was limited amongst students, however I engaged well with my team, and teams around us. There were weekly football sessions, drinks after work and good friendly banter throughout.

Quite expensive, if you are a drinker! Great clubs though, Oxford Circus had some great bars.

Immediate area there was a nice pub with a great outdoors area. London is great for nightlife, a bit pricey though.

Football on Thursdays, after work drinks on a regular basis. Charity project as part of the Santander Internship scheme.