Commercial Banking Intern Review

Throughout this virtual experience, there were sessions covering the different divisions across the bank and how the bank collaborate as one. This means we get to meet and network with people who we may not have have to chance to meet in person. I have particularly enjoyed learning the different career journeys of the people at Nat West, how they have overcome challenges, what are the main skills in each divisions, and the advices we were given was extremely valuable.

Despite being virtual, I've been working on different projects, collaborating with other interns, participating in many meetings, and constantly learning. Being put in teams and representing the Bank in a fundraising activity is very meaningful. There are a lot of Q&A session in small groups which means we get to understand each other in greater depth and all our questions were answered honestly as everyone is willing share their opinions and offer advices.

To me, it is always important to recognise the positive practices a company has with its employees, and Nat West Group has shown them since the very beginning and in every meetings. We were given advices on how to make the most out of the internship, and everyone at Nat West was more than happy to answer any questions we have, whether it is personal or technical questions. Everyone is always happy to talk to you on the zoom meetings or via Linkedin.

In the short span of this internship, I managed to expand my reach to many other insightful individuals from all over the world. We worked on different projects together which has strengthen my network building and communication skills on a virtual platform. I was also able to gain a more cultivated understanding of both the SME and large corporations sector, how the current situation is impacting the banking industry in the UK and the strategies Nat West has in planned.

When COVID-19 hit its initial stride, Nat West Group stepped up and restructured the 10-week programme into a 4 week programme at an unprecedented rate! The early careers team did a fantastic job of allowing us interns to get a tremendous and meaningful experience. Each week is focused on a different area that allows us to develop new skills and understand the divisions across the bank. The early careers team has put in so much effort to ensure the virtual experience is the best it can be.

Everyone at the company is very welcoming from Day 1. They have made us feel that we are part of the bank. I am able to network with so many different people and I was extremely grateful for having the Head of Corporate and Commercial Coverage to speak to us. Nat West Group has gone above and beyond throughout this summer to make all of us interns feel welcomed and included, and ensure we get endless opportunities to network and learn even on a virtual platform.

Nat West invested in external companies to lead some great sessions to develop our people skills. There are both graduates and senior people from each division who took their time out to speak to us about the specified skills required in their jobs. I felt that Nat West Group made us feel valued and wanted as we are able to reach out to the graduates for any further questions on LinkedIn.

We had the opportunity to speak to many graduates on different graduates panels, including a programme specific one during the second week. Hearing from lots of graduates who were on the same programme a few years ago was particularly worthwhile. The graduates talked to us about the challenges and difficulties they faced, as well as the more rewarding aspects of the job.

The continued and emphasised focus Nat West being a purposed led bank was made very clear and was linked to many of the activities we did. From day 1, we understand the values of the bank and the strategies

The virtual internship has been instrumental in helping me decide that I almost certainly would like to start my career with NatWest. have definitely developed a keen interest in a few divisions in the graduate programme after talking to a lot of graduates who are currently on the scheme. I found the experience incredibly informative and allowed me to gain a huge understanding of how I want to develop my career.

Yes, there are plenty of opportunities to meet with different people across different divisions.

Yes, we were split into different small groups to discuss and share our opinion on topics during zoom calls. We were also given projects in to work on with other interns, this is an amazing opportunity to collaborate with other amazing people.