This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
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The Role
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The Company
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The Culture
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the RBS Internship for Human Resources. I have had many work experiences/internships previous to this and it has definitely been my favourite so far. The company as a whole is extremely welcoming and the work I was given was often challenging but very rewarding.
I felt extremely valued by all of my colleagues within my own team and also across the entirety of Human Resources. I was asked on every issue for my opinion and these were always taken into account. My team often delegated important work to me, despite it not necessarily being a learning objective of mine, because they believed I would complete it to a high standard.
I had a very strong and helpful relationship with my line manager and supervisors. You have weekly 1:1s with your managers and this allows formal check in, however I was supported every day through daily catch ups and the ability to ask any question I needed in an I formal but supported manner.
My workload varied across the 10 weeks as I had 3 projects from my team and also an individual intern project, that every Intern had. My projects were very well spaced and I never felt over whelmed but always had something worthwhile to work on. The intern project added a stressful but extremely rewarding element as this had to be fit in around my other daily tasks.
I was given high levels of responsibility. I had to lead team meetings as well as meetings with colleagues from across other areas of the bank. Additionally, I held meetings with external clients and also focus groups. My tasks were of high importance and my work was used in a Board meeting with the directors of the bank
I study business management and accounts so the information I have gained will be very useful in my degree. I have seen the real life workings of a large corporation and can apply this to all of my studies. These skills are extremely transferable and will be vital in any roles I hold in the future
The Company
The atmosphere was very positive and I felt continuously supported. I was approached by many different colleagues of all levels to be welcomed to the company. I was also offered to go for informal meetings to consolidate my understanding on various teams within Human Resources and have a wider knowledge on what the business does.
The work was extremely well organised. I was assigned 3 projects at the start of the internship and was informed of the time scales for all of these. I was also asked for my opinions on each project before I started to assess whether, given my recent knowledge/new understandings of RVS, whether another project would be more appropriate.
I felt extremely invested in in terms of development. We had various forms of E learning and I felt part of the organisation. Additionally, all Interns were invited to various conferences and learning opportunities such as speeches with the CEO. We were encouraged to take time out to listen/attend additional learning events.
Subsidised/Company Gym
Company Parties/Events
Staff Sales/Staff Shop
Future job prospects are extremely appealing. We were constantly informed of the Graduate Scheme opportunities that would be available to us following a successful placement. Additionally, all of my colleagues seemed very happy in their roles so I know that the organisation is a good one to work for in the long term
The Culture
RBS hires 170 interns across all locations and 70 to Edinburgh. Following on from organised social events, we were able to make quick bonds and we organised social events very often as a cohort,l. We had formal group chats for work related questions but also informal groups for organising plans and chatting
The placement was located in Edinburgh during the Fringe Festival. This increased the prices of a lot of entertainment and food outlets, however did increase the number available. Transport is relatively cheap as the RBS HQ has a tram stop exclusively for them. The cost of rent in Edinburgh is very high.
The nightlife was very good and the interns were always very keen to experience it. We would often go for drinks and then out to clubs and shows during the fringe. As it is expensive we would often end up in large chains, however it was always fun as the cohort were very friendly.
Yeah, there was lots of chance to experience activities outside of work and working hours. All teams held summer outings and these I caused trips to the festival and going out for dinner. My team also held a dinner after a team day that allowed for informal connections to be made
Details
Internship (1 Month+)
Business Management, Customer Service, Human Resources
Scotland
October 2019