Supervisor Review

I was given interesting and varied work which was gave me a fantastic insight into the organisation. My team were really nice and were always available to help. The other interns were very friendly as well and was always up for social activities after work which made my summer really enjoyable.

The work I was given was very representative of the work that I would be given had I worked there full-time as a graduate. This meant that my colleagues would listen to my suggestions, especially on project work. I was also given opportunities to contribute to discussions and meetings which would impact the results down the line.

I always felt that I was able to approach my supervisor for any help I needed which could not be answered by any of my colleagues in my team. We had regular catch-ups and my manager was instrumental in giving me experience in other areas of the organisation as well.

I was fairly busy on most days. I was given different projects and work to do from different teams so I did have to juggle them a bit but there wasn't a time where I felt I was overworked or given too little work. There was always something that I could get on with every day.

I was given quite a lot of responsibility as I was in a role where I was communicating with firms. This meant I had to request information as part of supervision work and investigate cases which had an impact on people and firms in the real world which was a fantastic experience and one I am grateful for.

Considering I study a degree which has nothing to do with financial services, it did not develop any technical skills. However, I did learn how to manage relationships within the workplace as well as time management which will be invaluable in my career in the future, as well as my final year at university.

The atmosphere was casual but professional. Within my department, colleagues were encouraged to hot-desk around the floor which meant that people worked alongside many different people in different teams which helped with the friendly atmosphere. Colleagues would always be happy for a catch up to see how we were getting on or were always available to help.

Future employment prospects are quite appealing as there is a variety of roles available within the organisation. The graduate scheme looks very appealing as there are opportunities to move around the organisation and go on an external secondment. This would allow me to have a fantastic overview of the whole of the financial services industry.

The other interns were all incredibly friendly and we went on many social outings together, including nights out, trips to the pub, karaoke, minigolf and much more. I certainly made many friends and I will certainly miss them when we're all back at our respective universities and I will definitely keep in touch.

Being situated in Stratford, next to Westfield, the area was slightly expensive although it was nowhere near the extortionate prices of Central London. If you looked around, you could find some cheaper places to socialise in, or if you wanted to go into London, it was easy to travel there.

There were not too many places within Stratford itself, but the City was only a very short Tube journey away which is very ideal. This meant that all the nightlife that London had to offer was available to us. There was also a local Wetherspoons which was frequented very often on a Friday after work.

Any social or sporting activities were available to us while we were working at the organisation. A group of interns and myself went on to badminton every week and I was invited to play football with my team. There were also other opportunities to get involved with corporate social responsibility volunteering as well.