Academy Trainee Review

I really enjoyed my experience as it was extremely useful. I gained a lot of knowledge of the industry and what it is like to work in an investment bank, was able to meet employees from all areas of the bank who were happy to talk to me, and was given the opportunity to develop many skills through a variety of tasks and activities.

I had a good relationship with all my colleagues and with my manager. They were very welcoming and always willing to answer any questions I had. I felt respected and comfortable talking to and shadowing employees from across the bank.

Support was always on offer when I needed it. I was encouraged to attempt tasks independently, which allowed me to find my own way and gain confidence in myself, but I was happy to ask for guidance if I was uncertain. My manager was very open and approcahable and other colleagues were also supportive.

I was kept fairly busy. My manager would usually give me one or two tasks to complete in a day, and I was also working on ongoing projects over the weeks. As my placement progressed, I started to do work for other people and so had more work to do, which was good because it gave me experiece in managing a workload and prioritising different tasks.

The amount of responsibilty I was given grew over the weeks as I showed my manager I could be trusted to do a good job. At first my manager checked through the work I had done, but by the end I was being trusted with more important jobs and felt as if I had real responsibility.

The most important skill I have gained is time management and an ability to balance a workload and prioritise task, which will be extremely useful in my studies as I work to deadlines. I also gained confidence in forming relationships with new people and most importantly, staying in touch with them, and this will help in paticular going out into the world of work. Technical training we received (IT skills) will also be helpful.

The office was generally quite quiet but colleagues were always friendly and approachable, and it was a good environment to work in. There was a fair amount of freedom to work how it suited you, and I settled in and felt comfortable quickly.

The placement was very well organised, with sufficient training at the beginning to ensure we had the necessary skills to go into the office. Alongside our work in a paticular department, we had projects and presentations to work on with other students on placements, and mentors who we met with regularly. We were encouraged to meet and shadow employees from across the ank to get insight into many different areas. My manager ensured I always had work to do, and we received regular and good feedback.

In the office, I was constantly being given support and feedback on how I was doing and any ways in which I could improve. We also received useful training in realtion to the industry and technical skills we would need that was extremely useful to our work and will help in my studies and beyond. Additionally, meeting many employees allowed me to develop my industry knowledge and also personal communication skills.

Working within the organisation in the future would certainly appeal to me, and I feel that the organisation are keen on training and supporting me with the view of me potentially working there in the future. I could see myself fitting the culture of the organisation, and I was encouraged to work toward possible employment. I was given opportunites to gain the skills that make me a strong candidate for getting a job there moving forward.

I got on very well with other students on the placement and we went out quite a bit after work. We were all in a similar position and so we bonded well and had fun together.

In the centre of London, everything is fairly expensive, but it is not difficult to get out and find some good deals. I did not feel the costs were a real problem or barrier to me enjoying my placement.

Can't say I went out a lot in the surrounding area!

We were sent lots of emails about social events and sports that were going on and open to everyone at the organisation. There was a chance to get involved in football, runs, teaching and lots of other activites.