Operations Intern Review

by Santander

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

3.5/5
  • The Role
    3.7
  • The Company
    3.5
  • The Culture
    3.4

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

    • A great experience and I would suggest it to anyone looking for experience in a bank.

    5/5
  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

    • My team was very friendly and welcomed me straight away. I was given real projects and was not just worked as a "secretary". Because the internship is in the summer many workers go on their summer holidays while you are there and so you are used to cover their work where you can.

    5/5
  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

    • I was not given to much guidence but I didnt feel the need for it and if I had felt the need for more guidence I am sure I would have got it if I asked.

    3/5
  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

    • The pace was quite laid back (remember its a retail not investment bank) and sometime I didnt have much to do, but I think this was specific to the guy giving me work as talking to the other interns this seemed to not be true for most of the others in finance and operations departments.

    3/5
  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

    • I was allowed to organise my own visits to other departments. I was allowed to do things that I dont think you would be able to do in investment banks. Such as constant and friendly contact with the director (3 below the CEO of Santander UK) and visiting the Chief economist. The tasks I was given where real projects and made a real impact on the company. For example I did some data manipulation and anaysis on individual employee expense claims, concluding with a report for each department. This was then sent out to the directors of the respective departments and the information was then acted on to ensure compliance.

    4/5
  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

    • Not only was it great work experience for my CV but it was interesting to see what its like to work in an office enviroment. For someone who doesnt have much work experience or computer (specifically excel) skills it would be extremely beneficial and they give a great enviroment.

    4/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

    • Very friendly and upbeat atmosphere.

    5/5
  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

    • The application process was well organsied by the HR early into santander scheme. There was introduction training, projects to undertake and a review session at the end of the internship. In the middle there was also an HR event with presnetations on the flow into the graduate scheme and a chance to meet the interns from the other offices.

    3/5
  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

    • They invested alot into us, with the full day event we where invited to in leicster with expenses covere and a warm meal supplied. We underwent the same mandatory training as the other workers, we where also trained up to as much as they possibly could in the time we where there for.

    3/5
  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?

    • Flexi Time

    Subsidised Canteen

    Subsidised/Company Gym
    4/5
  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

    • At the end of the internship your line manager fills out a review qustionaire on you, one of the questions is would you offer them a graduate role. So if they say yes there is no real reason why you wouldnt get a position, out of the 16 interns in my office we all got yes to that answer and now are just waiting for conformation of a graduate role. Be aware you dont have to apply for the graduate role in the same department as your internship, they automatically offer you to chose any department.

    5/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

    • All the interns in my office met for lunch every day in the canteen within the offfice and went to one of the many resturant around (spoons, GBK, nandos, subway etc) on fridays.

    5/5
  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

    • I didnt live or socialise in the area (food prices where fixed for the cgain resturants I went to)

    3/5
  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

    • I drove to work and so couldnt experience the nightlife

    3/5
  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

    • I saw opportunities for lots sports activities in the office.

    4/5
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Details

Internship (1 Month+)

West Midlands

October 2013

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