Technology Intern Review

The work was interesting and diverse and it gave a good insight into what it may be like to work there as a graduate. The interns also got to take part in exciting team building and charity events adding a new dimension to the internship.

Going into a company as an intern can be quite a scary prospect but at Barclays I was instantly made to feel at home. Not only were my colleagues friendly and helpful, they also treated me with the respect of someone who had worked in the company for 20 years.

I worked in a small team managing a portfolio of project managers so the team consisted of myself and 3 other managers. Therefore there was always one manager at hand to give me work and help me through any challenges I faced.

This varied, some days could be quiet but there still some steady work to do and other says were really busy and exciting. This seemed to be the case for most people with a few exceptions. Id say it is down to you to make yourself busy if no work is coming your way, you need to speak to people and let them know your willing to help with things.

I was given quite a lot of responsibility. A lot of the work I had to do was exposed to senior leaders and my managers trusted me to do it right.

This placement provided me with valuable skills that could not be achieved from studying a degree alone. The internship also offers a great chance to get onto the Leadership Programmes offered to graduates.

The office was quite a busy place but people were still quite chatty and in good spirits. There was various social activities to take part in such as softball tournaments and nights out.

As soon as I arrived on my first day I was set up with a desk and computer to get me going. I was also introduced to everyone and given training materials to get started. I will admit that the first week was quite slow in terms of work but there was neccesary training to undertake.

I could tell that Barclays valued every one of its interns highly. I worked with two other interns in Knutsford but the majority of the interns were based in London. Every time a training event was being held they would pay for us to travel to london. They also strongly encouraged us all to consider the graduate scheme. Personal development plans were used to help us get the most out of our time there.

If a grade B is achieved during the internship you get fast tracked onto a assesment centre for the Leadership Programme. All the interns who are fast tracked get the first crack at filling the places on the programme. They also take into account you intenship performance so you have a great chance of securing a succesful future through doing this.

Being out of London at times made me feel slightly seperated from the other interns but the 3 of us based in Knusford went out a lot and got on well. When we did go down to London it was quite easy to get involved and we did get the chance to go out with them a few times. Barclays put us up in a hotel on the last nite so we could all celebrate finishing the internship together.

Most students getting an placement with Barclays will be based in London and from what I gather from the other interns, this can prove quite pricey. If you are based in Knutsford however, the cost if leaving is reasonable. I was fortunate enough to stay with family which brought down my living costs significantly. If you are considering a placement here I would shop aroung quite a lot before you choose a place to live.

It is 20 mins outside Manchester which most people know is one of the best places to go out in the UK.

We were sent to a primary school on one occasion to teach children about money skills, this was a great thing to be involved in. We also took part in an activity called dragonboat racing which was fun. Myself and one other student visited a call centre to learn a bit more about contact centre technology.