Women's Immersion Programme Review

I enjoyed the insight a lot. I think that getting to do a rotational desk placement over 2 weeks is an incredibly unique opportunity, and has given me an idea of the daily routine/ tasks of each team. I found the process to be very rewarding and have had a great social life outside of office hours with other interns too. It has helped consolidate that I do want to work in the industry.

I think this differed from team to team, and it was simply because some desks had more time to spend with you than others. It can be very hard to gage when is appropriate to interrupt to ask questions, but everyone was welcoming when they had the time. My buddy was also brilliant, and made sure I was getting everything I needed to out of my internship!

I'd say my main point of support was my buddy; they were very encouraging and understanding, and I think having a slightly less professional contact was important for my development. It just meant if I was struggling with anything or needed help they were there but I wasn't being assessed on our conversations. Other desk contacts were also very good at supporting my learning of more technical aspects while on the desk.

I think learning how to be better at networking and presenting my ideas, both due to an organised workshop, and putting it into practice, is something that I can take forward which will help me regardless of what route I go down. I also learned a lot of theory surrounding the products offered by Nomura, which may be less applicable in the wider world but will definitely help me if I were to get a role in finance.

The structure was the thing that let the insight down. Multiple events which would have been very useful in gaining knowledge about the products and industry were cancelled and never rescheduled. This was a bit disappointing. That being said, the workshops I did go to were very worthwhile and I enjoyed them a lot.

In general there was a very good atmosphere. Of course people are busy and you have to be proactive in finding some of your own work to do or things to research, but the general culture and types of people who work at Nomura was very inviting. I think by putting us under less pressure it allowed us to perform better.

I feel like generally they do want you to do well and succeed. Desk contacts and buddy's were very eager to support us, with many being juniors and not long through the process themselves. In terms or actual workshops etc. as previously said they were limited, but I personally learned a lot on the desk through reading and discussing what I'd found.

By being on the desk you definitely get to say the day to day routine of many roles, and understand how they function. For example, in global markets busy times are on the close of Asian markets and the open of US markets. Also in talking to quite a few juniors they all seem to have a good amount of responsibility very early which is one of the perks of working for a smaller firm.

Company culture at Nomura is very inclusive. People are happy to talk to you provided you are engaging and make the effort. Many interns including myself were invited to social events after work with members of different teams, which was another chance to show we were a good fit. A lot of the culture is everyone getting along because they spend so long with each other every week.

I think in terms of actual content it was again limited but it was more about what you wanted to do off your own back to get the most out of the experience. For example, arranging to talk to people from different fields in order to gain a broader knowledge and maybe an idea of where you would be most suited. Desk contacts and buddy's were very helpful in facilitating this also. I think overall it confirmed for me that I was interested in the job, for other people it may be more unclear.

I was reimbursed for original travel costs to London e.g. my return train from university. Nomura do not sort your accommodation or cover transport while in London, but they do pay a daily salary and accrued holiday pay.

I think networking is the thing most emphasis is put on. There was a senior networking lunch and a networking evening for interns. However outside of that it was up to you. I personally met people from 5 teams as opposed to only the two I was based with, and was able to gain an understanding of how each of the roles differed. I also was invited to social events after work which again allowed me to interact in a more informal setting.

As said above there were a number of networking opportunities and times to socialise. Thursday nights on the terrace are also a good place to meet people as many employees gather after work. I thoroughly enjoyed the social aspect of the internship.

This again comes back to the culture at Nomura, and there are a number of things people can do after work. From going to the gym, getting involved in charity events, joining a choir or joining a public speaking group. There are so many options for people with different interests.

I would recommend the insight to a friend. As I said the opportunity in itself is very unique and worthwhile for understanding the day to day routine of people on the floor. With the exception of some events being cancelled, I found it to be a very rewarding experience, and I think I got a lot out of my time at Nomura.