Summer Intern Review

I enjoyed the internship, it gave me a valuable insight into banking and a chance to have a tangible impact upon the business, making a real contribution. At times the work could be dull or basic, but overall the experience was positive and I am certain that it will have a significant impact on my performance in future studies and my career.

My colleagues were friendly and approachable, always willing to help and assist me throughout my internship. I feel I have made good contacts for the future. Colleagues were also very happy to let me shadow them during my internship, to help me gain a greater understanding of different role in the business.

The guidance was often good and often poor, the initial induction was satisfactory but the content was often odd and unhelpful. After this central guidance was very sparse and eventually stopped. My line manager was much better at helping to guide me.

I started very busy, for the first half of my internship I had much to do, and felt like I was making a significant contribution. At other times I was struggling to find tasks to complete, often this encouraged me to be pro-active finding work to do but at other times the day would go very slow, with little work.

During my internship I was given the responsibility to complete work which would contribute towards an important project for the bank. This was motivating to know that the work I did was making an impact. I was left to independently complete my work, and was also given the opportunity to present my work in meetings.

The intern training was poor, being far too basic and suddenly stopping after two sessions. I learnt many workplace skills, presenting for example, and also developed knowledge about the area in which I completed my internship. Aside from this I gained little understanding of other aspects of the bank which I did not know prior to my internship. The knowledge I gained about the segment of the bank which I completed the internship is very specific and I am doubtful that it will assist me degree, though I am sure it will benefit my career.

The office was open plan and had a lively atmosphere so it was easy to communicate and build relationships with colleagues. The location was excellent in the City of London, so there was a good local social scene to engage with after office hours.

The internship was organised efficiently, all the administration was completed behind the scenes so on my first day everything was ready. The company also paid for my accommodation in the middle of London so I lived in student halls with 50 other interns during the 10 weeks in addition to receiving a wage. This was seamlessly set up, so I had no worry about living in London and commuting to work. The graduate referral process was also transparent and efficient, though my line manager was largely unaware of details of the programme.

Whilst there is a strong emphasis upon learning and development at the firm, I felt little benefit from any formal training programmes. The induction event did have some emphasis upon identifying personal skills, but this swiftly was forgotten when I went to the office. There seemed to be some form of intern training through webinars, but this ended after a couple of weeks and was largely unhelpful. My line manager did emphasise my development, and always offered to give me opportunities to develop my skills.

There is an opportunity for interns to gain a referral to the graduate programme based upon performance during the internship. Though I have received few details about the programme so far, it is a good opportunity to continue working with the firm.

Living with a large group of other interns in the centre of London was the perfect opportunity to mix and socialise, the social scene in London is excellent. Colleagues often preferred to visit the pub on occasion after work, which was also a good chance to socialise. The City has plenty of bars and restaurants, though unsurprisingly are very expensive.

Lloyds provided accommodation for the duration of my internship, which included the cost of all bills. If this was not provided I would have struggled to live in London due to the ridiculous cost of living. Socialising is also very expensive, without the accommodation being provided I would not have been able to socialise.

The London nightlife was excellent, with plenty of offer to satisfy all tastes. My weekends were always busy making the most of the social scene which was always a welcome break from the office environment and a good time to mix and network.

There was an intern charity challenge which all interns were involved in which often kept me busy outside of work. Many opportunities and events organised would be as a result of this challenge. There were also monthly socials and networking events, though long hours often left me little energy to attend all.