Spring Week Intern Review

I enjoyed this insight much more than I expected, as everything from the hotel, to the food, to the actual schedule for each day was well organized. All the interns were eager to be there and the atmosphere was very welcoming. The only issue I had personally is that with my background in Maths (rather than computer science), I felt I wasn't prepared for all the coding challenges (which I didn't know were going to occur until I arrived).

I felt valued and it felt great to be a part of a group of 25 great minds. It was obvious that although the company was assessing us to an extent, they were also selling J.P. Morgan to the interns, which made us feel already valued as a part of the company.

We received a lot of guidance, specifically during the challenges where we had to actually figure things out on our own (such as the RoboCode challenge(, as there was always a mentor assigned to each group who would step in when necessary. I will say that personally I didn't feel there was a lot of guidance given, but we were 25 interns so it would have been difficult to help everyone out individually.

The skills developed, specifically team collaboration, quick thinking, and networking, will continue to be extremely useful to me both in and out of my degree. Although the coding challenges were difficult for me specifically, they allowed me to take a step back and learn to ask the right questions to make sure I was always caught up with my team, which would be quite useful in future team exercises. This was one of my first times networking and it was a lot more comfortable and relaxed than I had expected.

The insight was very well structured. When we got there, we were each given an outline of every day's schedule so that we would be prepared and know where to be. There were interesting activities to fill the whole day, including in the evening for dinner/drinks. The only thing I would have changed is that we had very little break times during the day, including right after "work" where we would immediately go to a restaurant.

The atmosphere was one of the best parts. The organizers were very welcoming and immediately made us feel comfortable and excited for the days to come. Every single intern was eager to be there and to learn (as well as help along the way as they were not hyper-competitive). Each day had a range of activities which kept us on our feet and interested, and the evenings after "work" were the perfect end to a busy day.

The insight was extremely useful for this. Immediately we were told we could come dressed casually, which is how the majority of the employees in Bournemouth dress for work, which already showed us the sort of relaxed yet energetic culture at the company. Each employee we met was really kind and open to answering questions, and walking around the campus also allowed us to understand what a day working at J.P. Morgan felt like.

I was reimbursed all my travel expenses, including to and from Bournemouth (since I live a certain distance away). All meals, including breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks (and drinks) throughout the day were provided for us. We stayed at a very nice hotel and each restaurant chosen was both enjoyable and delicious.

There were plenty of opportunities to network. There was a lunch specifically organized to be able to talk to senior employees at the bank, and it being at lunch made it quite informal and easy to talk to them. Other than that, there was 4 hours of 2 on 1 work shadowing, which allowed us to meet a few of the graduate employees. During the days we would constantly be surrounded by other employees at the firm too which were happy to talk to us.

During the work shadowing especially, we were able to ask more personal questions such as these which gave us an insight into the lives of the employees. Lots of activities are encouraged in the company, including sports teams organized by them as well as things such as an ecological committee which included employees of the bank passionate about the environment.

Absolutely. It is a great opportunity to get to know a company as well as having a step in the door, even if you decide later on that you do not actually enjoy it. Everything exceeded my expectations and I could not have felt more satisfied from a Spring Week Internship.