Penultimate Year Commercial Banking Intern Review

I really enjoyed the variation in that it was split into two 4 week rotations, rather than doing all 8 weeks in the same department. It was also a good level of variation because I wasn't moving around too much. This meant I could pick up the skills and area of the business.

My colleagues always thanked me for any work that I did to help them, and said I added value to the team.

Sometimes I was given lots of support and guidance and other times I was given none, it just depended on the activity in question. They did get the balance right on this aspect because otherwise I would have felt one extreme or the other.

It varied according to what the workload on a given day was like. I work quite quickly so on many occasions I did finish my assigned work and asked if there was anything I could do to help my colleagues.

It just depended on which project I was doing as some involved a lot of responsibility and others involved none.

I developed a lot of soft skills from attending client meets and interacting with other colleagues in the office. I think these skills are the most valuable because I can pick up how to use a system quite easily and transfer according to softwares, but each business area will use different programmes, whereas all business areas will require the softer skills.

A lot of the office staff had holidays scheduled or worked from home which left some empty seats on certain days, this meant that on occasion it was quiet in the office. However, when everyone was around it was enjoyable.

Overall the internship was very well organised with all the required information being provided, alongside occasional intern cohort events.

I was allocated elearnings and had to attend a training day which focused on my development. It was more difficult whilst in the role because my managers had their jobs to do as well as teaching me about the processes/software etc.

I am yet to find out whether I have gained a place on their Graduate Programme, but it definitely appeals and they have provided lots of information on it throughout the internship.

It has been good because the programme has included several allocated days where all of the interns have been together which has created a good social scene. It would have been even better if I was placed in an area with more interns for my actual work.

The costs were reasonable, I already had accommodation and the prices in the area that I lived in were quite good, but the location of my internship was more expensive because it was in the business district.

There were several bars close to the office and multiple clubs within the city.

We did multiple charity fundraising activities within work and the area that I was placed in had a lot of events happening externally that I could go to if I wanted to