Commercial Banking Female Insight Week Review

The programme not only let me gain an insight into each sector of Commerical banking, but also has been a massive confidence boost; from speaking with the directors to practising the art of meditation to combat stress. My time at RBS showed me how passionate each RBS colleague is, and how they are part of the transformation to make RBS the number one bank for customer service and the most trusted bank in the UK by 2020. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at RBS and have realised what a phenomenal bank it is to work for. The importance of team work, mental health and work culture was the biggest highlight of the insight which showed how valued the interns are to the Bank.

The culture and work environment at RBS is something you have to experience first hand to realise how valued you are as an individual. Even though I was only at RBS for an insight week for Commercial Banking, the culture and friendliness of all the employees. Moreover, we were offered travel, accommodation, breakfast, lunch and dinner allowance at our own choice which is something you don't usually get offered. This really had a huge impact on the atmosphere and dynamic of the group, leading to a successful assessment centre as everyone got to know each other extremely well. By the end of the week, whilst speaking with other colleagues and graduates, we began to talk about RBS as if we had worked there for some time and we were apart of the Bank and its goals. The fact that we were made to feel valued and respected clearly shows how great RBS is as a company to work for, and that the values and messages they put up online is clearly resonated through the work environment and not just there as in other companies. We were made to feel as if we were already working at RBS.

We were always well informed of the programme and what was expected from us. The key highlight was the guidance and support offered leading up to the assessment centre at the end of the week which can lead to an offer on the Summer Internship scheme. The support and guidance offered by Rebecca during the Insight Week, who organised the Insight Week and was responsible for the whole programme, from applications, planning and the running of the programme was incredible.

One of the best highlights during the insight programme was the atmosphere I was in. Being the only male in the group was a real eye-opener into how women work in an environment where it is mainly male dominated and how the dynamic changes depending on this - something that was reversed for me to see!

Having been on previous insight weeks at different firms, RBS stood out as the most organised and inclusive insight scheme that I have been to. We were informed well in advance of the schedule of the programme which allowed us to prepare. Travel and accommodation was organised well in advance in-order for us to settle in. The first day consisted of an induction day where we were given a plan for the week, followed by an introduction with the other 12 candidates, ice-breaking and talks by the female leaders of the Bank. I was well informed of the assessment day at the end of the programme and how it would be structured, giving us enough time to prepare, as we had a mock group exercise the day before. learnt about the core values and goals of RBS and met with the Female leaders in different areas of the bank.

Being the only male out of the 12 female candidates was at first daunting. However, I took a positive mindset and used it as an opportunity to see how I would behave and perform in a different environment and setting, which really opened my eyes up in to how the dynamic changes based on the atmosphere of the events. RBS represents a work environment of inclusivity and friendliness, which was radiated throughout the insight week, from the work shadowing of Directors (such as Structured Finance for Healthcare) all the way through to the talks with Graduates and our group. The biggest fear of starting a new programme with candidates you have never met is daunting, however, the diversity of candidates during the programme allowed for a fantastic insight week, which included going out for dinner and to the pub to get to know everyone better.

There was a large emphasis on the assessment day at the end of the Insight programme which we were given a vast opportunity to prepare and experience. During the work shadowing day, one of the tasks was a group presentation on an analysis of a multi-billion pound company which RBS was planning to offer its services too, something that is very similar to the assessment centre. The day before the assessment day, we were in a mock group exercise situation which prepared us for the group exercise element for the next day, allowing us to see how we worked in a team beforehand and what we could do to adapt and improve on.

During the work shadowing day, I spent half a day with a Graduate who was on the RBS Commercial Banking Graduate Programme. Every question, interest and worry we had was all answered by the graduate who was able to relate to us more than anyone as they had been in our shoes before.

Accommodation, Travel, Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner was all reimbursed as part of our participation on the 4 day insight week. As this was not a Summer Internship, having the opportunity to experience the Commercial Banking sector whilst learning more about the Bank was incredible. The expenses were paid back 2 days after the form was sent off.

Having been on previous insight weeks, the Commercial Banking Insight Week by RBS still resonates with me. The emphasis on company culture, mental health, work benefits and support at the company is something I value highly. During the insight week, we were made to feel as if we were apart of the Bank and its goals.