Finance Intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed the virtual internship experience that Royal Bank of Canada provided this summer. Despite the obvious challenges that COVID-19 presented, the internship was packed full of interesting and engaging experiences that provided opportunities for me to develop both personally and professionally. One of my personal highlights was the intern group project in which we were tasked to prepare and deliver a business plan outlining strategies to mitigate the risk COVID-19 presented to the theatrical sector.

As an intern I felt extremely valued by RBC. From receiving an allowance to purchase office equipment to assist with WFH to being provided a laptop to use during the internship, RBC went above and beyond to ensure that we had everything we needed to make the most of the experience. During the internship I was provided with interesting projects and daily tasks which team members enthusiastically gave up their time to explain. I felt comfortable reaching out for assistance and when the tasks were complete the team always made time to give me feedback to ensure I was developing and improving.

During my internship I was overwhelmed with the support the company provided the interns and how engaged the staff were in the internship program. Individuals from all around the bank were willing to arrange calls to discuss their business area, their own career or even just provide generic advice. The HR department ensured that all interns were provided with brand new laptops and an allowance to purchase any office equipment that would make WFH as comfortable as possible.

RBC's virtual Internship experience was designed in a way that provided numerous opportunities to develop and establish a professional network. My understanding of the financial markets and general financial principles grew exponentially throughout the internship. This is something that has made returning to my final year of studies much easier as I am now able to relate the content to the work I did during my summer experience with RBC. In addition, its also significantly improved my ability to communicate financial information, a skill that will undoubtedly be of great value as a start my career

RBC's virtual experience was structured to ensure continued progression throughout. The Internship comprised of 3 sections, the first of which was an intensive crash course on the financial markets. The second stage involved an intern group project where we worked with one of RBC's charity partners. We were tasked to create and deliver a business plan aimed to mitigating the risk that COVID-19 has presented to the theatrical sector and outline innovative strategies to overcome such challenges. The final section comprised of a 5 week on desk experience in which interns were assigned a team to join. Alongside this final stage interns were tasked with delivering an individual presentation to senior members of staff allowing a further opportunity to develop.

The atmosphere was great, everyone was so welcoming and friendly, they really made an effort to make interns feel as comfortable as possible. Team members would always ensure that they put in time to take me through my work, provide feedback and answer any questions I had. We had daily calls with individuals from around the bank welcoming us to RBC and providing insights into life in an investment bank. HR organised numerous intern projects allowing the interns to mix and develop friendships.

RBC provided all interns with a brand new laptop to complete their internship with as well as providing an allowance to purchase any office equipment that would make WFH as comfortable as possible. At the start of the internship we underwent an intensive training course to educate us about the finical markets and how RBC operates, this was extremely useful and incredibly informative. During the internship we had daily insight calls hosted by individuals from all around the bank which ensured we had maximum exposure to all of RBC's business areas.

Daily insight calls with individuals from around the bank provided an opportunity to meet new people and grow my professional network. In addition to this HR organised numerous Intern projects which allowed us interns to collaborate and develop friendships. My manager was extremely helpful in introducing me to individuals from around the bank and made sure that I was invited to key meetings with different stakeholders to ensure that my exposure to the business was maximised.

Yes, HR organised calls with all of the various societies and clubs that RBC had to offer. This allowed me to gain a better understanding as to what life would be like working at RBC. The company provides a large number of different initiatives that employees can engage with. It's clear that giving back to the community is something that is integral to RBC's culture and there are lots of opportunities for employees to get involved.

I would 100% recommend this experience to a friend. Royal Bank of Canada provided a thorough, informative and extremely engaging summer experience that I believe has given me all the skills I need to start my career. Alongside this, I met some incredibly interesting people and developed numerous friendships. The team was incredibly welcoming and were fully committed to my development and ensuring that I got the most out of my summer at the Royal Bank of Canada