Advanced Analytics - Summer Internship Review

Overall, the internship gave a really good insight into the responsibilities of the Bank. I was allowed to have hands on experience as an employee from day one as I attended meetings, seminars and produce work that the team used directly.

Although my team was mainly senior employees at the Bank which didn't offer the chance to connect with recent graduates/joiners, I was made welcome and everyone was offering to answer any questions or queries throughout the internship. It really showed that they valued my presence as well.

Good support throughout on the scheme from both my manager and management. Could have done with more guidance before the internship started but definitely settled in well.

The final two weeks of my 8 week internship were extremely busy, the summer internships involve giving a formal presentation of your results and writing up these results. These activities are usually in the final two weeks and can be very time consuming, however I found it satisfying to put a lot of work into them.

During the internship I had a lot of autonomy in deciding how to do my project. All of the interns I spoke to this year (including myself) found that we were responsible for projects that really mattered.

My internship was very useful for developing skills, as mentioned above I was sent on a course to learn how to use statistical software. I also learnt a lot about empirical econometrics which I hadn't learned in my degree yet. I also learnt more about data analysis, which is important in a working environment but generally not dealt with in academic economics.

The office was really friendly and colleagues instantly come over to say hi and welcome soon after I arrived. There is definitely a sense of teamwork and the will to help one another. Amongst the team, there was a much more casual interaction than expected but obviously still with a professional manner. Dress is smart with some teams going for Dress Down on Fridays.

The organisation before the internship started was not clear and efficient. But from the induction onwards, contact via emails was regular when needed and it was easy to raise any queries which were answered promptly. The staff who organised the internship were approachable and honest.

The Bank encourages personal development hugely with weekly events/ seminars /talks across the Bank. As an intern this was really useful and training was offered where needed. The scope of the training available was quite diverse. However, on some courses, numbers are limited which can be quite annoying if you can't sign up in time.

Positive employment prospects in my opinion in terms of working hours, staff facilities, work/life balance and the work environment. Expect pay to be lower than the private sector though and career progression can be a lot slower than you would imagine.

In my cohort, there was constant interaction with fellow interns which was perfect for sharing any experiences/ problems. There was an initial social organised for the new interns but after that it was down to us to organise any socials or get together.

Can't really comment on this as I commuted into the city from home- travel was expensive though and there are no travel loans/subsidisation provided.

London is filled with bars/ pubs/ clubs which offers variety for all. Downside is that it's packed on Fridays and drinks are very pricey.

Good opportunities for sports, societies across different interests. I was only there for a short time so couldn't really get stuck into anything but I know many employees that make good use of the gym and the other opportunities at the Bank.