Placement Review at Financial Services Authority (FSA)

The Role

Role Description

I worked as the Secretariat in the Executive office, where we organised all the Executive level decision making committees

1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

it was very educational

2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

people were friendly and helpful

3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

management gave sufficient help so that i got a lot out of the placement and they got some good work from me.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

it varied. sometimes i was very busy, sometimes i did not have enough to do. but that was mostly do to the reactive nature of the work of the department i was in.

5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

i was given responsibility for my own work, but did not have free reign. given that i was there to learn i feel that that was appropriate.

6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

it built on my knowledge, and i felt that what i learnt was useful, but it was not always relevant to my course of study.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

it was fun at times because the people were nice, but when there was work t get done peple were serious and professional

8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

once in the office it was quite organised, but the HR department could have done to inform me about the type of work i would be doing. this would have allowed me to prepare for the placement better, which would have helped me to become more productive sooner.

9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

they did provide training courses and i could elect to do further training to get a full understanding of the area i was in. but due to the relatively short placement i was doing, the actual quantity of training wasn't comprehensive.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

• Subsidised Canteen
• Subsidised/Company Gym
• Above 25 days holiday
• Working from home
• Healthcare/Dental

11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

i would highly recommend working for the fsa to a friend.

Other Information

12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

yes. interns and graduates would frequently socialise in the evening, especially on Friday evening

13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 3/10

Canary Wharf is quite expensive.

14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 3/10

While Canary Wharf does have several bars, they are all larger chains, which don't have the best atmosphere or character.

15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

there are sports and social clubs. everything from rowing to video games.

In addition to these questions, is there any extra information you would like to leave about your experiences on your work placement that other students may be interested in?

the FSA is a great place to get some experience of the financial industry. you won't be working the long hours of the bigger banks, but you will get a great insight into the larger picture of how the industry functions, due to the large variety of activities it regulates. However for those looking for the fast-paced excitement of trading or investment banking it might not be the best place to experience that.

Review 80/92 for Financial Services Authority (FSA)

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