Planning & Performance Manager Review

Working for Lloyd's Banking Group has been a great experience. I was fully immersed into the culture from day one and was involved with a variety of work. I also enjoyed my internship because I was able to be involved with activities that took place outside of work such as team training days, charity challenges and lots more! Couldn't have asked for a better 10 week internship.

All of my colleagues were extremely welcoming and took the time to help my personal development and learning whilst allowing me to help them with the work they were doing. Before joining, I was worried that I wouldn't be valued if I didn't already have the relevant skills for my role, but colleagues were more than happy to go through anything I was unsure of, meaning I learnt a great deal in such a short amount of time.

My Line Manager was great through out my internship! We had 3 weekly catch-ups, but he would always check in to see if I had enough work and whether there was anything I needed help with. My Line Manager was also keen to help with my personal development, which I really appreciated. This included offering CV tips and helping me prepare for assessment centres.

Although I wasn't busy from 9-5, there was always something I could do when not undertaking role-specific tasks. For example, there were plenty of opportunities to shadow other people within my value stream, meaning I got to learn more beyond my role. In addition to this, the interns have challenges such as the charity challenge to keep you busy and my team were very supportive in allowing me time to focus on this!

From the beginning of my placement I was given a lot of responsibility. My team were keen for me to get the most from my internship so told me at the beginning what I could be involved with and whether I was happy with the level of responsibility I was given. The tasks I were given meant I could interact with a variety of stakeholders, including the directors of my value stream!

It was great to have the ability to do extensive excel work as this was something I have only had limited exposure to at university. I now feel that I can use this tool comfortably and can incorporate it more into my final year. Having the support with my personal development has also proved beneficial as it has given me the confidence to apply for graduate schemes knowing my strengths and capabilities.

Everyone in my office was very friendly. All the teams interact with one another so it was great to have the ability to speak to others outside my team. I also was giving the opportunity to speak to others outside my team with the tasks I was given. This was great as colleagues treated me as another colleague rather than an intern. Overall, the atmosphere was relaxed and I always felt comfortable and happy within the office.

The internship was ok in terms of set-up. I had issues in my first two weeks with my laptop which meant I couldn't do much work. Prior to starting however I received a document which clearly set out my role, responsibilities, my line manager and my buddy for the placement. The group also have a Facebook page so it was great to speak to other interns who would be in the same location or scheme as you.

My Line Manager and team were heavily invested in my personal training and development. I had weekly one-to-one development sessions with my line manager where we would reflect on the objectives I'd set for the internship and whether I was close or on-track to fulfilling them. Moreover, I had a great experience with my team on their training day. I learnt about what my other team members were doing as well as other areas of the value stream. It was a great opportunity for me to also update everyone on how I was getting on. I also had an amazing opportunity to take part in a workshop with Google, which empowered me to be proud of my achievements and strive for the best.

One issue I had with the internship is how late interns were told about the referral process onto the graduate scheme (Week 9 out of 10). We have since found out that we will need to be referred to an assessment centre and this will decide whether we will get onto the graduate scheme next year. Although it was initially frustrating, I am hoping to secure a place onto their 2020 scheme.

Living with the other interns based in London meant there were plenty of opportunities to socialise. Whether that would be heading on a night out or chilling in the common room to watch Love Island, there was always something to do. The weekends were also great to socialise with the other interns. London has so many things you can do, all of which are free or a small fee! In regards to colleagues, we all went for breakfast, dinner, drinks and bowling during my internship. This was amazing as it meant I got to know my team outside of a work environment and believe it made me a more valued team member.

London is notoriously expensive so it is no surprise that you will need to be mindful of this. However, there are still free things you can do in London such as the Tate Modern, British Museum or this summer they had an open air cinema in Hyde Park! Living was also more expensive than what I was accustomed to as there was no Lidl or Aldi. However, if you budget your money well you will be fine and will be able to socialise and afford a few luxuries!

Nightlife was great in the area I worked. With a tube station 5 minutes from my work, I could easily catch a tube to head to Oxford Circus for a bit of shopping. There are also plenty of bars and pubs near the office, which meant I could head out with colleagues, other interns or friends from home if I wanted a drink after work.

In regards to activities there was the usual cinema which was fairly cheap! Would have been nice to get more info about any sports clubs or gyms that people could join as this was something I was interested in during my internship. However, London is the capital so you'll never be bored!