WPB Intern Review

My placement was incredibly fun. We had some great virtual socials to allow us to connect with fellow interns. The emerging talent team offered soft skills sessions (on personal branding, networking and feedback). I had the opportunity to fundraise for Sue Ryder with fellow interns- it was rewarding to take corporate social responsibility and give back to the community. I would highly recommend the HSBC internship to anyone who is considering applying, it has been amazing!

I felt incredibly valued by the emerging talent team whilst onboarding took place. My placement team all fully supported me and valued my insights. The interns were very fun to work with and all graduates I have encountered are motivating. I have been supported by a GradCoach too- the people at HSBC are always open to discussions and make time for catch up meetings. I really like the inclusive environment here- there are great networking opportunities.

My placement manager has been approachable, supportive and very reliable. My manager engaged with before I began my internship and helped me lay out some clear learning objectives. We regularly arrange catch up sessions to ensure I am on track to achieving my learning outcomes. The whole emerging talent team at HSBC are very helpful and friendly. If I required feedback on my work completed, I was able to reach out to my manager/ GradCoach.

Fairly busy! There's lots of volunteering to get involved with in your free time. Interns also have the chance to collaborate with employee resource groups and complete a project. I feel you can direct your energy towards the tasks which are important to you- I had a chance to volunteer for an ERG which I really wanted to be involved in. In the evenings, the interns organised virtual socials which was fantastic. There's never a dull moment!

I was able to determine my workload. On team meetings, I would highlight any free time I had to get involved with additional projects. My team were flexible and allowed me to choose my work. This ultimately allowed me to make the most out of this learning opportunity and engage with a variety of work. My team really valued my ideas and insight which allowed me to feel included from the moment I began.

The skills I have developed are priceless. HSBC are committed to supporting young professionals development. Despite our current climate working from home, the emerging talent team have allowed the interns to develop networking skills (which have proven to be very important on my placement!) There are some great resources available on HSBC learning platforms too. We had an intern development day, which emphasised how I can utilise the skills I have developed in my final year of university and beyond.

Despite working from home, there were a lot of fun socials for me to get involved in. The intern social leads did a great job at ensuring the interns had a fun time together outside of work! Socials were organised pre-internship too (this included scavenger hunts and bingo). There is a friendly and inclusive feel to the bank. The atmosphere is very open- I am able to approach colleagues with questions or for a quick conversation.

There was a smooth process for getting our technology set up whilst working from home. The induction events were organised very well. We were placed into groups for fundraising and projects very efficiently. Also, we were told about our tasks in a timely manner. There were various calls held before the internship to help ensure we had a good working from home set up too. I feel that the emerging talent team did a great job overall!

The bank invested a great deal of time and resources into my personal development. There were external speakers which hosted development days and the emerging talent team hosted calls to ensure we were all aware of our individual learning types. Overall, the emerging talent team ensured the interns were working to the best of our ability. There is also a yearbook they have very kindly put together for us! There was also a very generous welcome pack- featuring a water bottle and other goodies!

There is a graduate scheme which we are able to apply for. I believe the graduate scheme for wealth and personal banking lasts a total of 24 months with 4 different placement rotations. This means you are able to explore various areas of the bank (from branch network all the way to digital teams). There are also commercial banking interns who can apply for a graduate scheme- although I believe this currently lasts a duration of 18 months.

Very good social scene- despite working from home , it is very easy to arrange catch up calls with fellow interns and socialise. There are regular socials each Friday evening to allow the interns to get together and socialise. I have felt very included in my team. I have managed to get to know my team members better through social evenings or offsites. The people are super fun to spend time with on the whole!

I have been working from home throughout the internship. As a result of this I have not incurred many additional costs. I believe when placements used to occur, the interns would seek to find cheap accommodation in student halls etc. You get to know the other interns fairly well, therefore you can arrange accommodation with fellow interns to have some nice company and cut down on the costs. On the whole, I believe that does not work out to be too expensive

Due to current circumstances in the pandemic - nightlife has not been something the interns have engaged with that much. However, I believe the interns based in London have had the opportunity to meet up some evenings for meals. The interns are all planning to meet together once our internship is finished for a large social. This is likely to be in London and I'm sure it will be really nice to meet the other interns!

Of course- we are able to get involved with volunteering. Recently, I hosted a book club for 8-9 year olds which was super fun. We are able to reach out to the employee resource groups and get involved in ongoing events. The bank encourage all interns to fundraise for Sue Ryder and give back to the community. There are social events for the interns which have been organised by our social leads and grad social leads!