Technology Summer Analyst Review

Considering that the internship had to be virtual, I had a fantastic experience with Barclays. I had log in issues for the first week of the internship which was quite a frustrating start but once these were resolved it has been super enjoyable. No two days have been the same and I have felt like I am completing 'real' pieces of work rather than just going through the motions of being an intern. Barclays has done really well ensuring we get as much value as possible from a virtual experience.

From the first day I was welcomed into my immediate team. I have been part of weekly team catch ups, quizzes across business areas and really included in lots of events that made me feel as though I was a part of the team. I often felt bad asking people for help or insight at what I know is a difficult time for everyone but all colleagues were happy to give their time and experience where possible. It did not feel as though an intern was an inconvenience.

Barclays set us up before the internship with a line manager, buddy and mentor so we could build relationships prior to us starting officially with the company. This really helped with integration in my first few weeks as I already had some familiarity with a few individuals so I knew I could contact them if I needed anything. It is great to have the three different people with a variety of levels of seniority within the bank as you feel like you have a contact for every need.

It varied from week to week but the vast majority of days were almost completely filled with meetings, whether this was compulsory training or networking or insight sessions. Outside of this I had many tasks that I could get on with in my spare time independently. Even without these, the Barclays intranet has so much content that you can keep yourself busy for quite a while just exploring training sites and policy hubs for example.

I was given quite a few real documents to produce as well as being allowed to go and network with anyone within the bank really. I think it was a great balance of responsibility and freedom as you felt like you were actually contributing to something but at the same time are able to tailor the experience to you. Sometimes waiting for information from others or waiting on approvals can be frustrating but that is just how big corporations like Barclays work.

I think skills learned at Barclays will be super helpful in my final year of my degree. I learned new analytical skills as well as the ability to condense information down and cherry pick what is actually useful to you in a certain situation. Being my first time in a large corporation I also learned a lot about how companies like this work so behaviour in a corporate environment is something else I'll take away long term.

With Coronavirus we had to work from home so it is hard to say. However, I heard from many people that the office is a really positive, relaxed environment. In meetings everyone was friendly and keen to help out so I'd imagine the same is true in person. There are also plenty of opportunities to get involved in activities outside the scope of your role i.e. citizenship, volunteering, women in technology, perspectives on race etc

I know a lot of people experienced technology problems throughout their internship. I was lucky that mine only lasted for a week but even this was quite frustrating as it stops you being able to do anything of worth. Understandably there are issues with it being Barclays' first time doing virtual internships but I still feel it could have been prepared better in advance to prevent these kinds of issues. Once these issues were out of the way I felt like I knew exactly what I was supposed to be doing so organisation by HR was great.

You are actively encouraged to take time to work on your personal development through internal training sites and other methods. This is part of what is expected of you. Many of the mandatory training sessions also focused on personal development and life skills rather than anything specifically to do with Barclays. I felt valued as an intern as though Barclays saw me as an investment in the future which I think is something very positive for a 6 week internship.

Very. From the culture to salary to the actual level of diversity within roles in Barclays it is somewhere that seems great to work. Getting a place on the grad scheme is very appealing and something that has been in the back of my mind throughout the internship. Wanting to impress on this score is a focus for all the interns once they have seen how great it is to be at Barclays. The progression from intern to graduate is something that is openly spoken about by recruiters.

It was difficult because of COVID but Barclays did their best to create social events during the work day. I attended pub quizzes, virtual escape rooms, virtual coffee breaks etc all to try and break up the working day and keep that social element even though we're all at home. I know some interns in other areas of the bank didn't have the same experience so I think this depends on where you get placed.

Not especially applicable due to working from home because of COVID.

N/A

There are definitely many opportunities to get involved in panels and networking events outside your immediate role but again this was difficult due to COVID.