Commercial Banking Intern Review

I really enjoyed it from start to finish, with an engaging induction followed by weeks of learning and meaningful projects. In addition, many out-of-work social activities were available to take part in and RBS created a sense of togetherness through these social events. The majority of work was highly interesting and exciting.

All colleagues treated me as if I was a full time member of staff. The level of engagement and sense of responsibility is unparalleled compared to other internships friends had taken, where interns are there to perform basic tasks alone. My input was valued even at the earliest stages and this continued throughout the internship.

The culture at RBS is extremely friendly, with every single colleague consistently offering help and guidance. Despite their own workload, whenever help was required management were happy to sit down and patiently go through the specifics of any task or project whether for a complicated data set or merely asking the meaning of an acronym you hadn't yet come across.

I was very busy as a result of the high level of responsibility afforded to interns at RBS. However this workload was always able to be managed flexibly, with the ability to turn down certain tasks due to a high workload or ask to be involved when I felt I had time.

I was given lots of responsibility, with two relatively long independent projects which formed the basis of my assessment. Whilst support and guidance was available I was given responsibility for completing these projects. On a day to day basis, I was afforded lots of responsibility throughout a range of projects, having the opportunity to lead meetings on projects I'd worked on and taking over work on some high level projects for the duration of my internship.

Whilst at RBS I learnt technical skills regarding I.T use and improved my technological and financial skills. But more importantly I developed softer skills such as being more open and ready for change, constantly looking for improvement and learning how to manage time and work with people who are different from you. These skills will forever be important in any walk of life, profession or academic pursuit.

The atmosphere was generally professional, warm and friendly. Professional was the overriding atmosphere, with everyone focused and working hard throughout the working day. However whether for a quick conversation at the coffee machine or on a lunch break everyone was polite and friendly. The office atmosphere was also highly collaborative, with everyone working together flexibly across teams.

The general structure was extremely well organised, with steadily increasing difficulty and responsibility of tasks aiding development and allowing steady improvements in line with your increasing competence as the weeks go on. Furthermore the induction was a fantastic chance to network with other interns and learn more about the company. One improvement would be more information about one's office/line manager prior to starting the internship.

There was a consistent emphasis on personal development throughout the work required during the internship, with the opportunity to become internally certified in a range of areas through training in order to take on different kinds of work. Despite no investments being made on external qualifications, this has more to do with the duration of the internship and should not be seen as a reflection of the company's approach to development.

Future employment prospects with this organisation are extremely appealing as not only does the business culture encourage development and internal progression, which adheres to my ambition and desire to improve and learn, the pay is extremely competitive and there are endless opportunities within the organisation and the opportunity to gain external qualifications.

From the induction onward, there were plenty of opportunities to socialise with other placement students and this was actively encouraged from the bank through their organisation of social events with other interns and those on the graduate scheme. Furthermore the bank's friendly and collaborative business culture meant everyone was extremely social and welcoming.

Whilst there were adequate opportunities for socialising, the cost of living was so high that I and many others had to commute for hours everyday to get to work. Furthermore all food and drink outlets were extremely expensive due to the nature of the area of London the placement was in.

There was plenty of opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work, and in the organisation of such activities too in my own case through working the community manager to help run and plan socials. In addition the bank's proactive approach to staff socials and subsidising of these events helped greatly.