International Banking Research Assistant Review

As I will be studying Economics at university, working at the Bank meant that I was exposed to the financial world in a way I could not have imagined before I started my placement - from going to team meetings discussing recent news to Bank-wide meetings with the Governor and Deputy Governors speaking, it was a brilliant experience.

I was pleased that I was treated as an equal, with people asking for my views and valuing my input in discussions and conversations, as opposed to being treated like someone there for a year.

I think this obviously varies from team to team, but for me my managers were always willing to answer any questions I had, and I noticed that people would generally be very happy to go out of their way to help with issues if I asked. A lot of the time however I was left on my own, and although many may not like it, I actually preferred this as it allowed me to go on training courses, meeting and seminars around the Bank that I chose myself.

I was part of a quarterly team and we compiled, verified, analysed and published data banks sent to us in the form of a statistical release every quarter. Around this publish we were busy, but afterwards there were usually one or two weeks where there was almost nothing on.

I was treated like a permanent hire, and as I became more experienced and understood more of the processes, I was given more responsibility with different jobs, and so I always felt I was learning.

I have only just finished my placement so I honestly do not know how they will assist me in my degree studies, but I am sure that the work ethic, working consistently every day, going to meetings, etc will be useful when working in the future, whatever the job.

Division-wide we had leaving drinks whenever someone left, and we also had an annual 'motivational day' - with last years' being white water rafting. Within our teams we had away days after work as well. But I would say that certainly within my division, more could be done to encourage people to get to know each other better.

The 'gap year scheme' itself was not set up as well as I had hoped at the Bank - there was confusion about my leaving date, leave entitlement, personal reviews. This is partly due to there not being an 'official' scheme, with divisions bidding for gap years when they require them.

The Bank encourages people to go on training courses and use the divisional training budgets, which are normally under-used. I went on some, but there were two interesting ones which I was not allowed to go on as there was not a 'business reason', one which can be proved to improve one's work, for me to attend. This is determined by management.

I was asked if I would like to come back, and told that if I would like to come back for a few weeks in the summers while at university, to get in contact as they would be happy to have me back. In terms of graduate work, I would need to apply like anyone else I think.

There wasn't anything official other than a 'meet and greet' at the beginning, but as with any group of people if you arrange nights out and invite people they will come - and this happened quite a lot.

In central London, prices of almost everything was much more than I was used to, but it is just a by-product of working in London!

There are lots of pubs around the Bank and quite a few bars which people went to frequently.

There are clubs at the Bank but only a small proportion of people are actually involved in them.