Data Innovation Intern Review

1. I did not really enjoy the induction sessions; I felt they were too long, not applicable or relevant to my internship and did not help me prepare for my internship. 2. My Line Manager has been outstanding - he has enabled me to sign up for courses both online and through the Bank, ensuring that I get real development opportunities out of my internship.

My colleagues valued my opinion as a new pair of eyes, and they asked me questions as often as I asked them questions. They treated me very well and one of them even got me a ticket free-of-charge to the Highland Show during my first few weeks, which really made me feel like a valued colleague.

My Line Manager's guidance has been brilliant. Every week we meet 1-1 for at least an hour to go over everything I have accomplished in the past week and everything I hope to achieve in the next week. I have been encouraged to meet my own goals and not pressured to do things I have no interest in - I have also been told not to fear failure.

Most days I will be physically at work for 8-9 hours plus about 2 hours commuting, but I get around 1 hour's worth of breaks during that time. Also, within my work there is ample time for taking short breaks between pieces of work to prevent tiredness and burnout. There were also times in which my work was easy and times when it was difficult.

I was given 4 major pieces of work to complete with little direct oversight, which I appreciated; I had responsibility to complete all of these, although advice and support was always available should I need it (which I did at times). This work was given priority over any other smaller jobs I had to do.

The most important skills I have gained are those of coding - Python, R and Octave - and working methods - Agile and Scrum. These skills will not necessarily help with my very academically-focused degree but will definitely help with my career after graduation. I also gained insight into industry-level artificial intelligence work, which is of great interest and potentially huge future use.

The office was relaxed but vibrant, with ample opportunities to discuss with colleagues. There are no defined desks so often teams get mixed up, but usually the chance to chat with new people is worthwhile. The office is open-plan so there's no privacy, but this also incentivises a good flow of information.

The placement was very well organised - my internship had been confirmed by the end of April, and I had full clarity about what I would be doing well in advance. I knew all the small details as well due to my Line Manager's proactive discussion of these with me!

The company sent me on several training courses, and enabled me to spend time at the London and Brighton offices during my internship, which was very interesting. The company also gave me the opportunity to undertake volunteering, which has given me a look into how companies try to be responsible to the local community.

Very appealing - I would be very happy if I was offered a job here. The Graduate Scheme appeals to me as a soon-to-be-graduate and the chances to build a solid career foundation are ones that should not be missed. I would love to work for this company in Edinburgh!

Yes, intern events happened regularly, at least once per week, but also company-organised events happened, which were more welcoming and accessible for those of us who are disabled, don't drink, can't stay out very late, etc, etc. The social scene was appealing but not the major part for me of the internship.

Relatively high - Edinburgh is an expensive city, but not as expensive as London or Manchester. Socialising becomes expensive if you limit it to the city centre but travel and transport is very cheap. The tram and bus routes are low-cost and available very often, meaning that the overall cost of living is relatively low apart from rent.

I don't know much about this, because I have other responsibilities at evenings and didn't go out much. I believe that there is a large number of bars and clubs and things of this kind, but I didn't spend much time there. What I do know is that it's not as expensive as other places!

Yes, the Bank organised several activities outside work for us, so that we could get to network with colleagues, make friends, learn what other aspects of the Bank are doing, etc. These activities were roughly every 2 weeks although within work time there were other activities aimed at interns, like a Coding Club.