Intern Review

I really enjoyed my internship for the past few weeks. I have received immense support from colleagues and have the chance to meet people outside my division as well. I was given a project with difficulty level that is able to be completed within the summer period, but not too demanding over my capability.

I felt extremely valued by my colleagues. From the first day at my desk, my colleagues had introduced me around the work environment, ensured that I have someone to approach should I have any questions. They also supported me throughout the entire internship by answering my questions, giving feedback for my presentation, etc.

I was assigned to a buddy, who is in a senior role. During the first few weeks into my internship, I received a substantial amount of guidance to ensure that I adapt to the environment and comprehend information that was communicated to me. I was not spoon-fed on any of my tasks, but rather given the freedom for me to complete my project.

It depends on my schedule. There are days when I have back-to-back meetings, and therefore extremely busy, but there are also days where I am less occupied. During the less busy days, I attended the insight events organised by the HR team which was valuable to learn about other areas in UBS.

I was given the full responsibility to work on my project. I communicated with various project stakeholders to gather the relevant information and ensure delivery of my project. Before the end of my internship, I had to devise a handover guide to ensure my project can be smooth running after I leave.

I would emphasize on the soft skills that I have gained over the course of my internship. Skills such as communication, planning and organisation, collaboration will greatly help in any organisation or projects I will be working for in the future. The exposure of how technology runs in the banking industry is also relevant for me to choose my career options in the future.

The atmosphere in the office is extremely friendly and cheerful. I can just turn around and ask questions to my colleagues that sit behind or beside me. In fact, my manager sits just behind me, so it was extremely easy to communicate! Everyone was just extremely approachable and friendly to be with.

It was very well organised. Firstly, I had a week of training with all the interns in this intake. After that, I then entered into my department and was given the project vision during the first week at my desk. Throughout the internship, I attended various events like Speaker Series and other insight events organised for the interns or placement students.

In terms of personal training and development, UBS has their own UBS university and Coursera portal, which allows us to do any additional learning during our free time, or if we want to acquire a new skill. Besides, events such as public speaking were also hosted for employees throughout my time there.

At the end of the internship, interns will know if they will secure a graduate offer for the Graduate Training Program (GTP). GTP is appealing as it contains structured training for the graduates, and also rotations for graduates to gain insights into different areas before they decide on the department that they would like to settle down after GTP.

Yes. I had lunch with the interns everyday, when all of us will share our experiences or exciting stories out of work together. We had a great network overall, and sometimes also had social events organised by the HR team. We also had Skype sessions to formally share about our projects and department that we are working in.

The cost of living is around average in London. There is a market nearby, located at Golden Lane. The average price for a delicious and filling lunch comes to about £6 per meal. There are a myraid of choices, from fish and chips to Brazilian wraps and to Vietnamese pho. Nothing to worry about for meals.

There are multiple bars located near my office. People tend to go for drinks or eateries after work to socialise and bond with each other. This happens especially during the weekends, but less during the weekdays. There are also bars which provide games such as bowling and darts for their customers.