Structured Finance Summer Intern Review

I really enjoyed the virtual experience. I liked the variety of the programme, there were technical sessions, presentations about different roles within the bank, soft skills sessions and also wellbeing sessions. There were also significant opportunities to network, which I valued as people were really open to speak with me over a Zoom call.

I definitely felt valued. People from all seniority levels were incredibly open to answering my questions and conversing over Zoom. Some of the sessions were also organised based on surveys we did, this shows how the firm valued its interns' input.

We received a lot of guidance and support over the virtual experience. It was incredibly easy to access guidance and support from the Early Careers Team or our buddies, who were always receptive and helpful.

My financial skills have developed - I have a greater understanding of how bonds are priced, some of the key considerations of M&A, thinking about how companies can access liquidity, etc. This will assist me in my degree studies in financial modules. This will also assist me in my working life, as i intend on pursuing a role in the financial sector.

The programme was very well structured. We knew what each day consisted of well in advance and everything ran very smoothly - which can be quite difficult when you have several Zoom calls in a day, one after the other.

The general atmosphere was very good, interns were always willing to engage with the speaker and the speakers were always open to questions. Everyone was generally very positive too.

The firm invested in us heavily. We had a number of training and development sessions, covering both soft and hard skills. In addition, it was very easy to learn more about a particular topic, as people from NatWest were always open to a conversation over Zoom.

We had several chats with graduates, where we were able to gain a really thorough insight into what a full time role would entail. Our buddies also spoke about their experiences as current graduates.

We had a number of sessions with senior figures from NatWest Group, where we heard about their experiences at the Group and the current transformation going on. This helped us understand the culture. In addition, we could gauge the culture at the firm through how we were treated by members of NatWest Group in our other sessions.

There were no expenses to reimburse, as it was a virtual programme.

There were networking calls set up for us. It was also incredibly easy to be put in touch with particular members of NatWest through our buddies. Everyone who led the sessions with us were also open to further conversations over Zoom.

The networking/ social event opportunities were very good. Everyone was open to questions and conversations. Everyone was very positive too.

We heard about the different CSR initiatives employees can get involved with and how CSR is an integral part of the employee experience at NatWest.