The virtual experience was so well structured and clear. This allowed for maxium engagement between the well chosen specialised speakers who gave up their time to share invaluable insight for us. Because of this I enjoyed the virtual experience to a very high extent, especially as all of the content provided to us through different speakers, the power point presentations and intruiging tasks, I was able to fully commit and perform well throughout the week.
I thoroughly enjoyed the virtual internship experience. Although I would have preferred things to be in person, I felt I still learnt a lot virtually and was exposed to a number of different functions. It was relatively easy to communicate with new people and set up meetings to get to know other parts of the business. There was a tech team available if necessary and personal laptops were sent to all interns with headsets. This was particularly useful and allowed for a comfortable experience.
I didn't know what to expect (and almost didn't go) but was very impressed by the extent to which the content was both targetted (towards making job or internship applications and the amendments that can be made for disabilities) and general (applicable to application processes at many companies) without feeling dull or verbose. If another session arises I will recommend it to family and friends with learning difficulties as even if they are in gainful employment it may help their career development.
I found the virtual experience really enjoyable. Both the Financial Conduct Authority team and the EmployAbility team made it really clear what was going to be covered, why it was going to be covered and who by. The opportunity to engage with the panel and ask questions at any time was also really appreciated. I think that the opportunity to engage with the recruiters by way of a practice assessment centre question was another great feature.
I love it, very insightful and reflective. I really appreciated the assessment centre and I had amazing interviewers who from the feedback allowed me to reflect and develop my skills for the future. I enjoyed the personal development sessions dm how reflective it was. The programme was coordinated amazingly and the having the. Chance to ask questions regarding application was worthwhile. Mariam was an amazing facilitator and I appreciate that this opportunity was available to me.
Overall, I think the virtual experience was still very rewarding and information packed. Of course the fact that it was virtual did take away from the natural feel that would be experienced by actually visiting the office in person, but being in the comfort of my own home was also quite relaxing and I was not on edge as much. The functions on microsoft teams enabled all the meetings to take place smoothly, and the programme was organised very well.
Surprisingly very well, I did not expect the experience I had virtually, I felt like i got to know my group and leaders very well. The organisation of the programme virtually was spot on, there was allocated break times, allocated discussion times and allocated speaker sessions (that all ran smoothly). Microsoft Teams is a good tool to use for this kind of programme as there is many ways to interact including chat bar at the side, raise had feature to ensure everyone gets their say and also mute/unmute microphone feature.
I truly enjoyed the Females of the future programme as it allowed me to not only improve my confidence and interpersonal skills but also has helped me how to tackle interviews, by teaching techniques such as the STAR method. I feel like I have built a rapport with some of the girls and believe that we will continue contacting each other in the future. I also liked the layout of the programme. It wasn't too tedious or too overwhelming.
It was well planned and gave good information on various topics and tips and tricks for women of minority backgrounds and how they can grow in certain industries. Although a lot of insightful information and talks were given it would be easier to have shorter days over a longer period of time in order to process and not feel overwhelmed with information. It is a great experience to have from a company and a great opportunity presented overall.
It was a very insightful experience. I really appreciated the honestly and transparency that we received from those that worked at the FCA during the ‘Things I Wish I Knew’ session. I’m also really grateful to have experienced and receive feedback on a assessment centre and hopefully I may be able to apply the feedback that I received to different aspects of my career and personal life.
Throughout the summer, i had a very enjoyable time at the FCA. i was exposed to a range of different opportunities and challenges which i enjoyed participating in. I had the change to be involved in a project that would affect my entire division and also had the chance to work with peers in a community project. This project allowed me to no only develop and demonstrate skills in communication, organisation, leadership and teamwork, but also allowed me to build and develop friendships that will last longer than the internship.