Intern Review

M&G's virtual internship was extremely enjoyable and impressively delivered considering the fact that there was a very limited preparation time for both the Long Term Talent Team and our line managers. Being placed in specific teams has meant I have been able to get on with real work and allowed me to delve into other business areas with a quick call on Skype or Microsoft Teams. It is clear that M&G has a positive, collaborative culture, which I have really enjoyed being a part of.

I feel like I was treated very well during my time as an intern. From the pre-joiner conference to explain how the virtual internship was going to run, to the socials that we had, it has been clear that a lot of effort has been put into ensuring that the interns are well treated. As well as this, within my team, a lot of effort was put into ensuring that I understood concepts and wasn't left confused by calls.

I was given very strong guidance throughout the 5 week period of the internship. My manager was clear in providing me with meaningful work and what he expected of me, whilst remaining open to having discussions about any queries that I had. Further, the Long Term Talent Team ensured that we were kept in the loop about the wider events that had been scheduled for the interns, with the first day providing extensive technological support so that we all were ready to go by day 2.

I was kept busy, with plenty of work to do during that days. There was a wide variety in the work I was doing. This was combined with regular meetings, both internal and external and the opportunity to sit in on client calls was very enjoyable. At the same time as this, it was made clear to me that when the work day is over, there is no expectation for me to work extra hours and time was always kept to ensure that I had an hour for lunch and extra time to catch up with my managers.

Coming into the field with little experience, it was pleasing to see that I was given a significant amount of responsibility from the very start. I had an ongoing project throughout the internship as well as a few shorter tasks to complete, all of which tied into work the rest of the team are completing. This was encouraging to see that the work I was doing was not merely busywork, but actually being used by the teams

Whilst not directly relevant to my degree subject, I have no doubt that the skills that I have developed during my time as an intern at M&G will be useful going forwards. The strong organisation required to keep on top of tasks will be useful when studying for exams and the networking skills I have developed will help me to connect with people better in my working life. The virtual nature of the internship has also given me a valuable experience of working from home.

Whilst the experience was not in the actual office, I was still able to get a sense of the atmosphere and culture of the team and organisation as a whole. It is clear that the workplace is collaborative in nature and values positive, constructive debate around ideas. Everyone I spoke to was kind and welcoming and the flat structure of the organisation inherently aids the inclusivity that the experience provided. Overall, I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the office and has made me strongly consider M&G as a place I would like to work at in the future.

The internship was very well organised. Seeing as there was only short notice that the internship would have to be virtual, a lot of effort was still put into ensuring that we had business talks from a wide range of speakers across the company. Presentations where the interns were able to present in groups was a really good way to virtually connect with some of the other interns and allowed us to learn about what all the other interns had been up to.

Whilst this was only a 5 week internship and I came into the experience not expecting much in the way of training, I think that the overall exposure and responsibility given to me from Day 1 has allowed significant personal development. The business speakers provided useful introductions to many area of the financial services industry, with the opportunity to learn more by speaking directly to the individuals after - this has allowed me to fully understand a wide variety of business areas.

The Long Term Talent Team have been clear about the process of assessment both during the internship and after the internship and have provided valuable feedback during the final week. Further, the graduate scheme appears interesting and provides 6 month rotations to allow you to fully integrate into various teams, fully allowing you to understand the role of a team. It is clear that the positive culture of the firm massively benefits them, and makes the prospect of employment at M&G very appealing.

Even though social interaction was made more difficult by the virtual environment, the various meetings that we have had with interns and the social activities have helped to provide a good bond with the others. Whilst it would have been nice to meet up in person, during the current pandemic this sadly was not possible. Social activities such as the escape room were fun activities to take part in and also provided a good way to help bond the interns.

N/A as working from home

N/A as working from home

N/A as working from home