Intern - PMO Analyst Review

I really enjoyed my internship as I was given a specific project to work on which I could see through from beginning to end, allowing me to leave a legacy behind after my time at Lloyds (something which looks really good on my CV!). I also got to travel to offices in different locations around the country, which was thoroughly enjoyable.

My colleagues were very friendly and approachable, and took the time to get to know me on both a personal and professional level. I was invited to their after-work drinks/socials and they really made me feel like part of the team.

I had weekly catch ups with my line manager to discuss any problems/issues I had and how I was taking my work forward for that week. Although they were very busy people, they were always happy to answer any questions and they had a lot of time for me.

This varied quite a bit - I never had too much work to do, but some weeks were considerably busier than others. Particularly at the start of the internship when I was settling in and getting to grips with my project I had a lot more spare time.

I was given a project which was looking to investigate an issue they really wanted to know the answer to - with the intention to implement any recommendations I came up with. I was responsible for engaging with colleagues and stakeholders to gauge their thoughts on the proposal. Being wholly ccountable for that project gave me an enormous amount of responsibility.

I think my communication improved enormously over the duration of the internship, since I was responsible for delivering several presentations and leading meetings during my time there. The presentation skills I developed will probably be the most useful thing that will assist me with my degree/future work.

Whilst everyone was very busy, there was still a friendly atmosphere in the office and a real sense of community. The only criticism I have was that it was quite loud at times when everyone was on the phone, but I suppose this can't be helped!

On my arrival had a meeting with my line manager who outlined my overall project, and we agreed on key deliverables for the duration of my placement. However, I was waiting almost a week for a laptop to arrive before I could start work - I know this is an area they are looking to improve.

Even colleagues outside of my close circle of work invested a lot of time in me and were always looking for opportunities to develop and stretch me. Many colleagues offered to spend time teaching me how to use some of the office software and programmes, which I found particularly helpful.

I have yet to have my interview for a place on the graduate scheme, but it's something I feel very positive about, and hope that I earn a place on the scheme. Working as an intern allowed me to identify other areas of the business I am keen to explore, so I will have the opportunity to do this if I get accepted as a graduate.

I went for drinks/meals with colleagues after work occasionally, and went for lunch with other interns a couple of times too. However, I think this scene would be better in locations with a higher concentration of interns (eg. London).

I lived at home during my placement in Birmingham as I'm local to the area, so there was a definite cost bonus there! Cost of socialising was a lot cheaper than London, and there were quite a few places near the office that had 'after work social' drink offers.

There are a lot of options in Birmingham in terms of nightlife - we found that Brindleyplace offered some nice bars to enjoy some post-work drinks. I'm aware that some of the other interns who moved to Birmingham for their placement and were renting accomodation in the city enjoyed the nightlife.

During our placement, myself and some other interns got involved with some fundraising for Children in Need (the nominated Charity of the Year). There was also the opportunity to get involved with the team's 'Day to Make a Difference', where we helped restore a local community farm.