Spring Into Banking Review

I really enjoyed the Spring Insight Programme this year. Despite the original programme in London being unable to go ahead, the virtual experience was still really useful. I particularly enjoyed the opportunity to ask current graduates at the firm questions about their particular role and experiences as this gave a valuable insight into the culture of the bank. I found that all the various presentations given over the 2 day period were relevant and interesting to listen to.

I felt that the Early Careers team made a strong effort to make the Spring Interns feel valued. This is particularly highlighted by the fact that a virtual programme was provided to replace the internship that was unable to go ahead during the Coronavirus Pandemic, whilst many other Spring Programmes were cancelled. It was clear that a lot of effort had gone into the organisation of the virtual internship to ensure it provided a useful experience.

There was a great amount of support during and leading up to the programme. Weekly phone calls were scheduled before the event took place to enable any questions to be answered. Every intern was also allocated a 'buddy' at the firm to network with and receive advice and guidance from. I found that both of my buddies were incredibly helpful and willing to provide as much help as I needed and gave a valuable insight into the bank.

The early part of the internship focused on building presentation skills in a virtual format, which is a valuable life skill. There were also many opportunities to develop networking skills, whilst getting to know the other interns and the Deutsche Bank team in charge of running the programme. Furthermore, presentations specific to Finance, Investment Banking and the different divisions within it were particularly relevant to any finance related degree and useful when considering future careers options.

The 2 day insight was really well structured, following a timetable that was made available at the beginning of the programme. The early presentations were focused on developing skills such as presenting and followed by insightful information about the bank. Later on there were also interactive quizzes to test how much had been learnt. On the last day there was also a Q&A session with graduates across a range of divisions, which provided the opportunity to ask questions.

I found the general atmosphere to be really inclusive, as questions were encouraged throughout and there were plenty of opportunities for the interns to give their input. It was evident that the programme had been designed to be as interactive as possible, which was well achieved given its virtual nature. Those who led the presentations came across particularly helpful and approachable. The programme even concluded with a photo competition aiming to lift spirits during lockdown.

The Insight Programme gave an insight into what it would be like to work within the different divisions within Investment Banking. There were various presentations detailing the various daily tasks within these roles and the skills best suited to them. It was also really useful to be able to put questions to graduates at the firm, who shared their experiences from internships that they had completed to their current roles at the bank and how they were finding them.

The programme gave a valuable insight of the company culture at Deutsche Bank. One of the presentations highlighted the values that the bank strongly aims to uphold and how this is achieved. Furthermore, the current employees emphasised how prominent the collaborative culture is within their teams. Their experiences of what the company culture is like were most relevant to the interns as they gave an accurate idea of what to expect when working as a graduate.

There were plenty of chances to network with employees of the firm. Before the virtual programme I was assigned a 'buddy' in Fixed Income and Currencies and also in Corporate Finance. During the virtual programme there were opportunities to ask questions to the Early Careers Team throughout. There was also the chance to speak to recent graduates in a Q&A session. Therefore, despite the limitations of only having a virtual platform, there were still numerous networking opportunities.

I would certainly recommend this experience to anyone, especially those seeking experience in banking and finance, as it gives a genuine and interesting insight into a career at an Investment Bank. I found it really helped to clarify my personal career goals in regard to which field I would enjoy working in after my degree studies. It is also a great chance to network with people in the industry, build your professional skills and boost your CV.