Corporate and Institutional Banking Intern Review

Once settled with the people I was working with (which literally took a day given how nice everyone was!) I woke up excited to go to work to see what the day brought. Not only did I learn a lot about what corporate and institutional banking was, I also met some great people who made going to work an enjoyable experience.

Everyone made me feel comfortable within days and were always willing to help if I was struggling with work presented. Not only was I taught the processes and day to day roles of individuals, the team always asked what I wanted out of the internship so I could improve on skills I thought I needed to work on. All my colleagues were willing to give feedback to help me progress, which was extremely useful. In additional my colleagues kept me involved in out of work activities giving me the opportunity to network with others.

The programme includes a mid and end of internship review so you can track your progress however my line managers were keen to have weekly reviews to go over what I'd learnt, what I'd be doing the week commencing and what sort of stuff I'd like to do more of. One to one sessions with individuals provided me with a good understanding of the roles and responsibilities of team members and the structure of the CIB division.

The internship was "split" into two parts which you'd be assessed on - 30% group project work and 70% office based work. My line manager was aware of this and made sure I had put time aside to complete the necessary work for my project whilst also ensuring I had work to complete for my fellow colleagues. There was open communication between my team members and I which allowed me to take on more work when possible which meant I was very busy on a daily basis.

I was given a lot responsibility as soon as I was able to access all the necessary systems and had been given training. A lot of the time I was covering work for those who were away for holidays and was set off to complete tasks when I knew what was expected. All the team members were always willing to help and answer question when necessary as they were understanding of the fact I may have needed help! For the short time I was there, the amount of responsibility was something that definitely motivated me and made me feel like a valued member of the team.

Your first week of the internship is spent in London doing training with an independent training school. In addition guest speakers come in to talk about how to handle and present your self in a working environment (some of which is common sense!). The internship does help build confidence in a working environment and helps to develop and mould you into a young professional. As my line manager was open to hear suggestions of what I wanted to do, they helped me focus on areas I wanted to work on e.g. Analysis of companies - both market analysis and company analysis, which improved my analytical skills which will help in my degree studies and beyond.

Everyone was extremely friendly and always willing to help. General chit chat among team members was always occurring which was a great way to interact and get yourself involved with the team at the beginning of the internship.

The first week was extremely well organised given it was spent in London. Accomodation details were emailed a few weeks prior and a timetable of the weeks events were given on the first day. Once working in the region, my line managers had created a development plan which outlined tasks I will complete over my internship. The weekly reviews helped ensure I was meeting these targets. During the internship various spotlight sessions took place, details of which were given out weeks before with accommodation and travel organised as well.

RBS invested a larger amount of time and money into the interns - more than I would have ever expected! It was extremely motivating to see that the company wanted to do all they could to ensure you got the most out of your internship and to make you sure this is the place where you want to be.

Depending on your performance over the 10 weeks, there is a possible opportunity for a position of the following years graduate scheme. The assessment criteria for this explained very clearly so you know what type of competencies they are looking for. Many of the individuals I had worked with had been with the RBS group for most of their lives which helped me to believe the job prospects for the future were available to those who want them.

The programme directors organise a mid and end of internship event (both optional attendance) to bring all the interns together, which both took place in London. In addition some colleagues in the office attended leaving drinks for myself and the other interns in the office on our final day. Lunch hours were usually spent with the other interns in the office as evening arrangements were hard to organise given the conflicting schedules and different home locations.

Being based in Manchester, the cost of living wasn't extremely high, depending on where you socialised. My buddy (someone whose your point of call if your having any real issues or just need a helping hand) kept me involved in the activities and events they were attending to ensure I socialised as much as possible.

Only experienced the nightlife a few times during the internship but when I did it was always a good night out in nice trendy areas of the city.

There were a few opportunities to get involved in things outside of work such as sports days and networking events however some of these did clash with my schedules which meant I couldn't attend all of them unfortunately. As long as you seem 'keen' enough to get involved in things like this, your colleagues will ensure any of these opportunities are presented to you.