Structured Finance Summer Intern Review

I like the internship very much - because it's well-structured and intellectually stimulating. People are very nice - both interns and colleagues. I had a steep learning curve during the internship.

Very much - colleagues are always ready to help and give responsibility to interns. Even sometimes I could not be responsible for the most critical part, they were willing to explain what they were doing and why they were doing it.

I got adequate support from my line managers - we had weekly catch-ups to discuss my progress and give suggestions. They also introduced me to the team and involved me in the team's work.

I was generally busy. Summer is a bit quiet. But I got tasks to do, learning materials to read, and coffee chats to learn about the bank.

Enough responsibility for the position

I developed a comprehensive understanding of Structured Finance from the internship and also acquired many transferable skills. I believe it would be beneficial to my future development.

The general atmosphere in the office is quite fun. People are easy to talk with and are approachable for questions and coffee chats. I hardly felt bored and dull. Also, there are many social activities around the team, the division and the bank. Drinks after work are also very fun.

The overall internship set-up was generally well organized and seamless. At the first week, we were given a general internship intro at Edinburgh and a division-specific training. The transition between the two rotations was also quite smooth and facilitated by good management. I never felt I was lost at any stage.

I was excited to see the bank provide well-structured training to interns - such as the three-day structured finance training and the training workshops when we were at desks. I felt the rotation system shows how much the bank is willing to invest in juniors because the system is costly in principle.

I get a return offer at the end of the internship. In general, the employment prospects within the bank are very good - though the return rate at the division is a bit lower than that of the whole bank and the assessment was a little more complicated in this division

Yes - people interacted well and there were many social activities organized. For example, we got a division-wide softball match in Regent's Park. Also, there were regular events - such as junior's lunch meeting and after drinks - to facilitate interns' and colleagues' social interaction. For me, it is perfect.

The cost of living and socialising in the area I worked in - i.e. The city - is generally quite expensive. London is an expensive city. For some interns living outside London, they even chose to commute 3hrs via trains. I would suggest the bank give some accommodation options to facilitate students.

The Nightlife like in the area you worked is quite good - there are many restaurants, pubs, and clubs around Shoreditch. The intern cohort enjoyed several amazing nights-out. I think it's a very nice area for young people to chill and social with friends. But the cost is also high.

There are many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work like volunteering, social, and so on. People were encouraged to join activities outside work and show a different side of ourselves. For example, we had a social responsibility programme in the internship to raise money for the charity.