Technology Developer Intern Review

I really enjoyed the project I was assigned, my team and the time I spent seeing how the bank works. As my internship was fully made fully virtual relatively last-minute Barclays had to completely change their internship to fit this new challenge. This led to a number of technical issues that made some days trying but overall I don't blame them for this and take it as a bi-product of the pandemic rather than the organisation itself. Some days were dictated by technical difficulties but equally many far more enjoyable days working remotely.

My line manager never trivialized our problems or saw us as a burden. Oppositely, he was very involved and invested in our project. We would present our progress on a weekly basis and this often was met with inquisitive questions that often promoted fruitful discussion about the project. We also often met with other members of the team who either helped guide our project or offered us advice with regards to specific technical problems we had found.

We were assigned a buddy and a mentor who were great at handling our technical question or directing us to those who had the answers. The HR team regularly hosted drop in sessions which are particularly if you have specific questions about the internship or process. Management were very accommodating allowing us to work somewhat flexibly as well as being understanding of the variety of personal circumstance during the pandemic. We were also given a list of objectives to meet which helped guide our day-to-day activities.

Due to the number of technical issues we were some times significantly hindered by the provision of software on our remote PC. This meant that we were often blocked, in terms of productivity, by lack of software. Sometimes this meant we had to find other things to or do things in an unorthodox manner to stay productive. In the worst cases we were left nothing to do at some points, in these times we did have online learning provided to us however after a while the 'learning lab' became repetitive.

I was part of a team of 4 interns working on a proof of concept application. This meant responsibilities were delegated to the team rather than individuals. As a team we decided what was done, when and how - we would confer with our line manager every morning about our progress and ask for advice if necessary. This meant we almost entirely responsible for the project with some guidance from our line manager who acted as the 'product owner'.

The number of tech problems gave the team a lot of opportunity to problem solve. This meant I actually grappled with concepts on the job that I had a vague understanding of from university. Not only did I learn a new programming language and a new tool but I also vastly improved my understanding of basics that I had overlooked at university. These new technologies and skills should make future university endeavors far more informed and well-made.

As I wasn't in a physical office there was no 'atmosphere' as such. When I met with colleagues it was often productive but by no means overly formal. There was room for joking and laughter. When not on a call we had a lively IM between interns which was positive and helped the isolation of the virtual aspect. Furthermore there were pros to working remotely which kept things very relaxed (if you chose to be so). For example I would often play music and delve into tasks without worrying if I was irritating a colleague with my music.

The organisation of the internship was stellar given that we worked remotely. We had a very full calendar from day one and it was always growing with meetings and seminars that the recruitment team organised. For me personally I met with the line manage every day - had catch ups with my team 2/3 times a day and would have a handful of seminars each day. These were all explicitly planned so you could plan your day and how you would achieve your tasks. We also had weekly presentations, retrospectives and planning meetings.

We were given a comprehensive objective pack that stated exactly what was expected of us. This helped us develop as we had many objectives to meet. They also gave us access to two large learning portals that helped us learn whatever we required for the internship. Although training was often self-directed it was assisted by the portals we were provided. In terms of development we worked near identically to how other teams in the business work helping us develop. We also were given catch-up and review opportunities which helped us develop.

The prospect of future employment is very good within Barclays. They offer a very competitive starting salary as well as a good amount of diversity of task in their graduate scheme. Furthermore they have a large internal job-board which is reassuring for those who plan to stay in the company long term. They also have many locations internationally which should allow employees the potential to move around if the opportunity arises. There are plenty of places offered too.

I had a good relation with other interns. Firstly I already knew a number of interns before the program started which helped me to settle in. Secondly, the interns in my team were funny and kind as well as very capable. During work hours we had a good social relationship however we rarely messaged or interacted out of work hours as we were spread internationally. It is hard to get a proper feel for the social scene on a virtual internship.

I will answer this as if I had not done a virtual internship. The generous accommodation bonus is maybe triple what is required to cover rent - furthermore cost of socialising and food etc is rather average in Glasgow and is certainly affordable given the salary. There are numerous areas you can work in that are within a reasonable commute so you can dictate how affordable your cost of living is. Obviously on a virtual internship the cost of socialising was nothing and the cost of living was the same as my previous circumstance.

The nightlife in Glasgow is great - thankfully I already know the city well and although I was working remotely I can attest to the fact that it has a great nightlife. There are many pubs/bars not far from the work space as well as a number of clubs if you are that way inclined. Personally I'm a big fan of the numerous outdoor seating areas in town center and the west end. There are even some interesting alternative nightlife options such as mini-golf.

Not really. As covered extensively in my review this was virtual so we couldn't engage in any physical activities. We were offered one or two events such as a quiz however these were limited. We were introduced into a huge number of groups within the business such as the "women in tech" group which helped us get a feel for what activities we could be involved in if we were offered a place on the grad scheme.