Spring Insight Review

I had an absolutely fantastic week. I thought that all the activities and workshops setup were very engaging and informative - my knowledge of the industry has improved dramatically, more than I had imagined it would. All of the staff at UBS were extremely friendly and happy to help at all times with even the smallest of queries. From work shadowing to building a tower with a marshmallow on top from spaghetti strands, it was a truly unforgettable week.

UBS made you feel very important and valued - they were obviously keen to get you involved with the company since they offered such amazing help and invaluable advice. They organised prizes when challenges were won and provided lunch and breakfast everyday which was very thoughtful and unexpected. Also, as a Horizons Program winner, I was invited to a lovely breakfast on Wednesday headed by Henry Knapman. All the the UBS staff at the breakfast were interested in hearing our thoughts about the assessment centre as well as offering us top tips for our summer travels. I left feeling inspired and very excited to strive for excellence and for a future career with UBS.

We could not have received any more support; from first thing when we arrived to when we left in the evenings we were constantly given useful guidance. The handbook was extremely helpful including copies of all the slideshows - I will be sure to keep great care of it. In addition the well prepared, concise and informative presentations from different divisions were presented confidently with no question being deemed stupid. Furthermore I really appreciated the time Joe Head gave during the work shadowing afternoon and for the extremely thorough introduction to Equity Research he gave me; I learnt a huge amount . This was extremely selfless since he had encroaching deadlines. To add to this he also set me up with the opportunity to speak to Louise Hough from Equity Sales who was more than happy to help and talk me through her current role and career at UBS.

I have developed much better communication skills through networking and will look to network a lot more within my university subject by speaking to students from other years, my lecturers and tutor a lot more. I am also considering joining a psychology society so that I can go to more debates outside of my timetable. The information I have learnt has inspired me to read more economic and finance articles in my spare time as I have developed a serious interest in the industry. In addition, now that I have a better understanding, finance articles don't seem so daunting but rather a more enjoyable, captivating read. To add to this, we did a session on personal branding which forced us to think about words which described ourselves; I think self-analysis and evaluation is very important in being able to improve and hopefully will help me become a well-rounded business women in the future.

The week was very well structured. There were plenty of breaks as the workshops often required a lot of concentration so it was important that we had time to refresh ourselves. Furthermore, none of the activities or presentations were repetitive so it was easy to stay engaged and intrigued to find out more. In addition, we moved around during the day to different divisions even being given a tour of the trading floor which was very exciting. Overall, the structure of the insight meant that we received a wholesome insight into the banking industry.

The atmosphere was really relaxed and friendly. A mutual respect was established between staff and all of us on the program from the insight which meant the week ran smoothly. We were all polite and never spoke over speakers whilst they equally gave us a lot of time to ask questions. Furthermore it was a great idea to organise a networking evening after the first day as it meant we could establish friendships with other people on the program. Nothing was rushed and everything ran to time which meant that sessions were calm and completed to high standards.

Firstly, since I recently became a Horizons Program winner for 2015, before the insight week, UBS has already invested a lot in me. This summer they will pay for me to volunteer in Costa Rica, Borneo or Tanzania for 6 weeks with Raleigh International. Furthermore, they have already guaranteed me an Internship for summer of 2016. The Horizons Program is one of a kind and I would consider it one of the most wholesome, prestigious and beneficial programs offered in the banking industry presently. During the insight week all the staff from many divisions invested a lot of time into us - they gave presentations, tours of different divisions, networked with us during lunch time and during the evening on Monday and also we had the opportunity to work shadow someone from our division of interest. All the staff were very approachable and happy to help during breaks or before the start of the day even if it were just to indulge in a general chat about their job progression and background rather than specific technical questions.

Since we were spoken to by employees from all divisions, we were given a very wholesome and insightful look into life at UBS. Employees were honest regarding the pros and cons of their job roles and were often really inspiring since most of them seemed really enthusiastic and passionate about their roles. It was useful being able to speak to graduates as not only can we associate with them as they just recently followed the path we are all looking to take but they can also appreciate the position we are in as they were in a similar one not so long ago. The strong regard for ethics, equality and fairness and the respectful culture at UBS shined throughout the entire week.

The insight enabled me to understand the company culture very well as we were truly made part of the company for a week. We spoke to such a wide range of staff that no department felt untouchable or above us. Since speakers not only spoke about their job roles but also their personal challenges, enjoyments and career progression it made it much easier to develop a first hand, realistic understanding of the company's culture.

The content of the day was very valuable. Many of the divisions I knew and certainly understood little about. However, by the end of each workshop I left with a much more in-depth understanding of the division and what job roles involve within the different divisions. I will now go and do some more research and develop my understanding further so that I can be sure to apply to the right division for my summer internship.

I was not paid or reimbursed expenses however only minimal expenses occurred that I do not qualify to be reimbursed for.

There plenty of opportunities for networking and meeting employees from all divisions throughout the company. Networking lunches were organised, we went bowling one evening, there was lots of Q&A time after workshop sessions and we were given the opportunity to work shadow. Furthermore, I was able to speak to Henry Knapman along with other staff at the Horizons Winners breakfast.

The first networking event on the Monday evening was very enjoyable. It was held at a local bowling alley which I thought was a great idea. The environment was relaxed and friendly therefore people were more confident to talk and get to know one another which has made a huge difference to the rest of the week. In the mornings everyone has good chats during breakfast and we work much better in teams throughout the day. Furthermore the networking lunch held one day was really good as there were employees from all different divisions happy to have one-on-one or group chats - they were very friendly and easy to talk to. Also work shadowing offered a great opportunity to network with not only the individual I shadowed, Joe Head from Equities Research but he introduced me to the 5 other members of his team as well as a Louise Hough who he collaborates with and supports from Equities Sales.

Yes, members of the graduate panel spoke to us about different societies they are part of such as 'Cheese and Wine' society. Also employees spoke to us about societies and community affairs that are run "beyond the desk at UBS" such as All Bar None and Pride.

I would definitely recommend this insight to a friend from any educational background - I will be sure to tell a lot of my university friends about my experience.