Internal Audit Summer Intern Review

I enjoyed my internship to a large extent. The internship provided me with helpful insights on the nature of banking and the different areas of work within the bank. I was able to work in a very supportive environment, where my team members did their best to help me make the most of my internship.

I felt very valued by my colleagues. My fellow team members were very supportive and patient when it came to explaining different tasks to me. Furthermore, they pointed me towards different events going on in the bank and put me into contact with different people across the bank, whose area of work I was interested in. Anyone I approached was very happy to answer my questions.

I was largely supported by my line manager. She always had an open ear for me and was happy to point me to events to get involved in and people I could meet when she was in office. Unfortunately, she was on annual leave for two weeks and worked from home 2-days a week, which made it difficult to know what to work on at the start of my internship.

My level of involvement during my internship differed drastically. There were weeks when I was involved in an audit and had lots to do and other times when I felt slightly left alone and wasn't able to get involved in anything audit related. As we were given an intern project, I spent my free time working and researching for this project.

I was given an adequate amount of responsibility. I was able to get involved in actual audit work, but always had someone checking my work, which made me feel a lot more comfortable with what I was doing. Furthermore, my team entrusted me with smaller projects, which I could work on independently and which created value for the team.

During my internship I learnt a lot about myself, my strengths and my weaknesses. This increased self-awareness has pointed me to what areas I would like to improve on in the future. Moreover, RBS offered skills sessions that helped me improve my time management, analytical and technical skills, which are certainly transferable to my degree. Furthermore, I have really opened up and become more approachable as a person.

The general atmosphere in the office was formal but friendly. It could have been slightly more sociable. I really enjoyed going for breakfast together with my team and having lunch together with fellow interns. This improved the atmosphere in the office, as you become a more and more acquainted with the people you work with.

There was a good framework to the internship. The Early Careers team at RBS organised induction and personal development events, which provided the overview and skills needed to make the most of my internship. In terms of my actual work, the organisation was ok. Communication and delegation of tasks could have been better and I sometimes lacked mentorship on the tasks I was doing.

The company made a large investment in terms of personal training and development. As an intern you had a weekly 1:1 with your line manager to discuss your developments and point you towards more development activities. Furthermore, the internship was very goal-focused i.e. you set yourself 3 performance goals at the beginning of the internship and worked towards them for the duration of your internship. The bank had an Innovation & Development Council that offered weekly events such as a Hackathon, a session on mental health and wellbeing, Excel workshops etc. Additionally there were weekly lunchtime learning sessions that were organised by your department and provided context to the work you do.

If you want to work in a bank, I would say that RBS is the place to go. I have rarely encountered a large corporation that is as people- and development-focused as RBS. Throughout my time here I was given the opportunity to pursue my interests and develop my skills and everyone is super supportive if you want to change your orientation. Furthermore, RBS offers a grad scheme that equips you with the skills and work experience needed to succeed in your later job and is really keen on retaining interns as future graduates.

There were many social events organised by the graduate council for interns and graduates alike. The social scene amongst fellow colleagues was slightly less developed, although we did go for after-work drinks once in a while. During the festival season, we had various outings to shows and the department was keen on organising welcome & farewell events for new colleagues.

Edinburgh during the summer can be rather expensive, as prices go up during the festival season.

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There were many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work. RBS offered some sports activities and otherwise I took advantage of the opportunities offered around town. Edinburgh is a great place for running, various outdoor activities, weekend outings to the sea and pentlands, climbing etc. The various parks make it a great place to socialise over summer.