2020 NatWest Insight Week Review

The Insight week was very well structured, given that it was facilitated virtually, rather than in the Edinburgh Office. Most of the sessions were informative about the role, RBS and the NatWest Group more generally, and I particularly enjoyed hearing from service line leaders about their specific role in Risk.

Throughout the application process I was made to feel valued as a prospective graduate employee, and I found the small details of personal phone calls to arrange attendance and assessment centre details particularly valuable. While it is difficult to feel valued on a virtual programme, the small groups in breakout rooms meant we could ask questions to the service line leaders easily.

The Insight week was well structured in terms of a clear timeline of the week, with the necessary Zoom links etc. so it was always what was expected of us. I found the sessions particularly well varied in terms of learning about RBS more generally and technical details about the Risk sub-service line.

I've found that my understanding of banking and Risk has definitely been enhanced since the Insight week informational sessions. More generally, the application process and interacting with the team on the virtual platform has enhanced my experience with other applications in the finance/professional services sector, as well as a giving a better insight into graduate recruitment.

The Insight week was very well structured and I did not feel that too much was lost from not being in the office. The sessions were all informative and relevant to prospective graduate scheme employees, as well as giving useful advice for success at the assessment centre stage following the insight week.

The atmosphere was slightly impersonal at time, however, this was largely due to the nature of hosting a virtual Insight week. Given the circumstances, I felt that the attendees were made to feel welcomed and valued at RBS, particularly since the groups for the specific Risk programme were relatively small.

Due to the nature of the Insight day being more to inform students about the graduate programme at RBS and careers beyond this, the content was more informative than focused on personal development. However, we were encouraged to think about our career paths beyond the graduate scheme and the session on success at the assessment centre were helpful.

I think that attending the Insight week at the Edinburgh office, as was originally planned, would have given a stronger insight into the atmosphere of RBS and the Risk team. However, given that the sessions were held online, the break out rooms felt quite personal and I felt comfortable interacting with team members, so I would say I got a good enough idea of the day-to-day experience at the bank.

Since the Insight week comprised of many sessions held by various team leaders across the Bank and the Risk division, we definitely got a comprehensive sense of what the culture was like at RBS. I particularly appreciated the honesty of the session leaders about their experiences in terms of hours worked etc.

The content of the Insight Week has definitely given me a stronger understanding of banking and the roles within it more generally, and has enhanced my interest in Risk as a potential area of interest. It has also encouraged me to attend other insight weeks for different employers as it has proven a valuable way to learn more about the company and the different roles available to graduates.

The Insight week was unpaid, however, since it was facilitated virtually there were no costs incurred to me throughout the week. Had the Insight Week been held in person there was definitely the option to be reimbursed for accommodation and travel if you had to travel over a certain distance to attend the Week.

Yes, many of the sessions were held by different employees from across the bank. It was particularly nice to hear from people at all levels, from recent graduate scheme joiners to managers and directors. Most were very open to questions and encouraged us to reach out on LinkedIn for any further insights we might need.

As it was hosted as an online event, there was very little opportunity to network or attend social events, however, we did get to know the people in our smaller sub-service line groups more closely over the course of the different sessions. I'm sure this was just a symptom of hosting the week online, not of RBS more generally.

Yes, we attended a session about the various opportunities for employees beyond the workplace, including volunteering opportunities and networks within the bank to bring employees closer together. It was also nice to hear the RBS actively encourages you to pursue your hobbies outside of work and appear to respect a healthy work/life balance.

Yes, I think it was a valuable experience to learn about the NatWest Group, RBS, banking and Risk in general. At times I felt that the sessions were slightly repetitive and perhaps dragged out to fill the week but overall it was an informative experience and a good way to explore possible career options.