Risk and Controls Analyst Review

The Internship was well organised and the team I sat in made me feel extremely welcome. They offered me their time and shared their expertise and experiences which enhanced my experience. I have enjoyed developing an understanding of the energy industry and was offered multiple opportunities to learn about different areas of the business. I enjoyed being a valued member of the team and got stuck into real work.

Everybody across the business showed an active interest in my self and the placement, always asking how I was finding it but also taking the time to get to know about my university studies. It was great to be undertaking projects that a full time member of the tesm would have to have completed had I not been in the team for the 10 weeks. They also took the time to explain concepts to me, understanding and appreciating the fact that I am not a finance expert.

I was never afraid to ask a question to expand my knowledge. My manager always had time for me to sit and explain difficult or new concepts, often drawing diagrams and ensuring I was fully understanding the different aspects. I met with my manager on a weekly basis to give an update of my progress and raise any issues or request further projects to ensure my time was used to its full potential.

In every role, there are going to be times when you are busier and times when you are quieter. I found for the majority of the time, I had a constant steady work load, but particularly towards the end, I found that bringing all my results together created much busier days. I also had days where I was away from my desk for most of the day, in meetings regarding my different projects. If I ever didnt have anything to do, I could always ask my manager if there was anythign else I could get involved in.

I was a valued and integrated member of my team and so as I went out across the business to meet different people, I was respresenting the team. I was responsible for several projects, howver, my work was always checked to ensure that I was meeting the criteria and completing it to a high standard. I never felt overwhelmed with responsibility, but had an appreciation for the impact my work was having on the team and wider business.

Completing this internship has opened my eyes to the world of work. I will go into my final year at university with a fresh prospective on my future and my career. I people I have developed the ability to manage expectations and will use this to enhance my ability to balance work and life when returning to university. I also believe I am more confident since completing this internship and confidence will help me in a multitude of situations.

There was a friendly atmosphere in the office. Nobody was unapproachable, but I was aware of times when it was quiet and people were particularly engrossed in their work. I noticed the atmosphere was slightly different across different floors on the office as different teams had different working methods. During August the office was particularly quiet due to alot of employees taking annual leave.

On the whole, the internship was well organised. We had plenty of information provided well in advance of starting the internship. We were then met by some graduates on the evenign of our arrival of the accomodation and were transported to the office on our first day. We have had many different events organised by the graduate team throughout the placement. Each has been well planned and well executed. Having accomodation included was a huge bonus and relieved stress and worry to find somewhere to live for the 10 weeks.

We had a huge intern development day which was a great opportunity to get to know the other interns and hear about the different experiences in different offices across the country. I also had the opportunity to visit a gas terminal with the rest of my team which again was a great insight into a very different side to the business that I was working within. The company not only invested financially, but also invested their time in me.

The graduate scheme is well organised and has a great reputation. For finance, it provides the environment to qualify as a chartered accountant whilst developing experience within the energy industry. The scheme allows graduates to rotate around three very different business areas and units which is unique. The continue to offer support and development as I have seen on the internship.

The graduates organised events with the interns. But I think the most important aspect was living with fellow interns. The accomodation was provided by Centrica and this created an environment in which we could share our experiences across different streams.

As the company provided the accomodation, I cannot comment on the cost of accomodation. However, being close to London and in a tourist area (WIndsor), it meant that some things were slightly more expensive compared to where I am at University and originally from, further North. The salary is generous though and it was a huge weight lifted knowing that I did not have to find a place to live for 10 weeks.

Egham and Windsor are not the most exciting places for nightlife, however we are only a stones throw from London and in particular Clapham, where a lot of the graduates choose to live due to the lack of nightlife closer to the Windsor and Staines offices.

All of the interns were placed into Charity groups, in which we raised money for the British Gas charity partner, Shelter. We also volunteered time in any area we wished. The interns also organised meals out, football matches and other social events on evenings and weekends.