Scholarship Intern Review

I am a Scholarship Intern, which means I participate in internships throughout the summers of uni. I have joined as part of the Advisory service line, working in Performance Improvement for Financial Services. This means that I have been on projects that aim to improve the performance of banks, insurance firms or asset management firms. Day-to-day work varies depending on the project you are placed on. As an intern, I am usually listening into conference calls, taking minutes, helping put presentations together, monitoring the project, helping with the administration and learning about the firm as a whole.

I have learnt how to use the EY programmes and databases. Some programmes are needed for all projects and very few know how to use them as they are confusing - I spent time on one project administering all the project information on one of these databases which was useful for future projects. I have also learnt how to write and present information in a professional and effective way.

I have really enjoyed the programme, it gave me an opportunity to learn more about the industry before I started university. It also is great to have a secure internship for the summers so I don't have to go through the stress of finding one during university. EY is a really friendly environment, everyone is willing to take half an hour out of their day to answer questions and help me.

I feel very valued by the firm. I was fortunate to be given large responsibility on one of the projects I was part of, while members of the team where out of the office, which made allowed me to learn a huge amount. Feedback is provided to you from everyone you have worked with which means you can learn to improve some areas and understand which areas you did well in.

The programme is very well organised with a 3 day induction at the beginning of each placement. The first placement is three weeks which means that we were able to meet people and learn about the firm without being overwhelmed. we are given a "counsellor" when we join who checks in with us regularly and provides guidance to get the most out of the internship. We are also paired up with a graduate who is there for support and help.

We could contact the training provider at any time with problems or questions and our counsellors could also talk to them about our concerns. We also had a mid-internship meeting to discuss the programme and see if anything needed to be changed. I also met with my counsellor fortnightly to discuss my progress.

I was unlucky with one of my projects and was not given very much to do and immediately after I mentioned this to my counsellor I was moved to a new project where I was given a lot of work and was really pushed.

The salary matches the other Big Four firms, and as a uni student it is much appreciated. However, paying for accommodation in London will be expensive, but EY have tried to help out where possible. I feel that the experience of the internship outweighs the salary.

On the Scholarship programme regular networking events are organised so that all the Scholars can meet each other. We also participated in a Corporate Social Responsibility day, where we went to a local park and helped with the maintenance.

Yes

Its a great opportunity to get experience while doing what you want at university. You also get to live and work in London and meet people from all over the country. Also, it gives you an insight into what it would be like to work for a big firm.

Try and go to as many insight events and work experience opportunities as possible. Before applying I had visited several large investment banks and EY, which meant that I could understand more about the industry and where I thought I might want to work. Also apply as soon as you can!