Technology Intern Review

I fully enjoyed my work placement. I was welcomed by my team, respected by colleagues and offered continuous support and guidance from my manager. There were lots of great opportunities to learn and take part in speaking events in person or on workplace. This has been a positive experience and a great insight into the world of work.

I felt very valued by my colleagues and got to take part in a challenge with other graduates and apprentices. I felt that I was taken seriously and the work/input I provided was acknowledged and appreciated. People in the office were keen to share their knowledge and enhance my understanding of what our team does.

I had regular 1-1 meetings with my line manager who consistently provided me with constructive feedback. My line manager was also welcoming to any questions I had and would organise meetings to help me further my understanding whenever I was faced with a blocker. They also went the extra mile by organising shadowing opportunities for me to get a wider view of the bank.

I was assigned multiple tasks and challenger by my line manager outside of what had been provided by the Early Careers. This kept me busy and made me feel like I was able to provide more to my team. There were times where the workload was heavier but I never felt too overwhelmed and enjoyed the challenge.

I was given a fair amount of responsibility in the tasks and challenges I was assigned. Some of them involved running meetings, being a Scrum master and a chair as well as creating education artefacts for one of the teams within my department. I never felt like i was assigned 'time-killer' tasks and I believe that the work I provided was taken seriously.

I believe the skills I have gained from this have made me a more confident person and will aid me in both my degree and future career. I also developed leadership skills as well as team work and collaboration. I learned agile methodologies which will help me in my own efficiency and also in group projects.

The general atmosphere was warm and welcoming with all the employees making an effort to introduce themselves to me. There was a lot of social interacting and everyone was up for a laugh. A lot of colleagues took time out to chat and help me with various projects and I offered help to them too.

The internship for me was very organised mainly due to my line manager who made an effort to create tasks and deadlines for me on top of those required for the internship so I was never bored. He was aware of the internship assessment requirements from the start and made those very clear to me. I think I was lucky in this sense as this varied for other interns depending on their managers.

The company invested a lot in training me and helping me develop my skills. Theres a large focus on mental health which was apparent by their providing of a meditation session which helped teach methods of handling stress. Additionally, I got to take part on an away day course as well as participate in multiple shadowing opportunities.

I would love a place on the graduate scheme following this internship. its particularly appealing as it allows four rotations of different departments where you can roll off into what area you enjoy the most/have a flare for. They also have a budget for the graduates to take part in various training opportunities in order to upskill the workforce which is something I am very keen to get involved with.

There was a great social scene with many of the interns meeting regularly at lunch/coffee breaks as well as outside of the workplace. There were events organised by grads for grad/interns outside of work where we got to go to different locations in the city to get together and have fun.

Edinburgh is a very expensive city both for rent and socialising. Especially during the fringe where places hike up their prices.

Great nightlife with many different venues. Especially during the fringe where there are constantly shows and events to take part in. There is always something to do.

Outside of work myself and other interns took part in a multitude of activities such as - rock climbing, hill walking, comedy shows and nightclubs. There was also a touch rugby club I got involved in as well as volunteering at a local rugby club.