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I really enjoyed the work I was given - there was significant variety in what I was doing, almost every day had a mix of different projects to work on and sessions/training to attend. My work has been consistently reviewed and I could see myself improving as the internship went on, which contributed a lot towards my enjoyment of the internship. Additionally, I seem to have fitted well with the people in my division and the overall corporate culture.

It was noticeable that my line manager, supervisors and colleagues all gave me opportunity to ask questions, voice my opinion, and support me in case I struggled with an assignment. Through the internship there were several opportunities for me to give feedback on my experience, and these extended not only to recruiters or my immediate supervisors, but also to rather senior people in my division. Overall, I believe I was valued to a rather large extent by my colleagues.

There was noticeable support for me during the internship, but of course I had to ask and flag that I have a problem. The tips and advice I received when needing support was very helpful, and ultimately helped me complete my projects to a very high standard. I should note that I first tried to solve the problems I have faced on my own, as I believed the purpose of the internship was also for the Firm to see if I was able to learn quickly from what I was given.

I was quite busy on a daily basis, though this is to be expected in a finance internship. I came in with expectations of a really packed schedule, once in the internship there was indeed a lot to do, but the program prepared for me was very well paced, and simple to navigate and understand. As the internship neared its end, all my deadlines started to converge and the pace of the work got a bit faster, but this is to be expected and I did not consider this a negative.

I was given significant responsibility in preparing my projects and then presenting them. Given the nature of the industry and regulation it faces, I was of course not able to participate in a 'real life' project, but all my assignments and scenarios were in my opinion rather representative of the overall work I would be doing as an analyst. I really appreciate the opportunity to present my projects in front of several senior executives within my department.

The finance skills I developed during my internship would be of direct assistance towards completing my degree (which includes a minor part in finance). However, an equally valuable part of my experience also lies in enhanced analysis, research, communication, teamwork and other transferable skills. These will be useful for my general career and life, and of course will help me in my degree studies, but perhaps the most significant benefits I will see only after completing University.

The atmosphere in the office was excellent. Even though there was always a lot to do, everyone in my division was eager to help and communicate with interns - this did not only apply to analysts and our immediate supervisors, but also to very senior people in the Firm. Additionally, my colleagues always found time for a feedback or progress check during the work week, and communication with the wider team was very good. I cannot rate this higher.

The internship was very clearly organised, with a detailed calendar and schedule provided to us on day one. All sessions were on time, deadlines were clearly signposted and details of main meetings were uploaded at least a week in advance. Compared to my previous work experiences or time spent at University, I do not think I have seen such a clarity of organisation before. So, I would like to highlight the organisation during my internship was indeed seamless.

Before starting the internship, we were given a dedicated training programme with excellent tutors, significant interaction with peers and a very engaging and clear material that explained all the main financial concepts we needed to understand for our internships. In case we got stuck, there was a possibility to reach our to our training coordinators and ask them additional questions. Even apart from this, there was an additional voluntary training module given to us ahead of the internship, so there was plenty time to catch up if needed.

I was lucky enough to have received a job offer after finishing my internship. Personally, I believe that J. P. Morgan is among the very best firms in the industry to start a career with due to its excellent training, strong culture and a sense of truly valuing employees. This may be especially relevant in wake of the 2020 events, as work in J. P. Morgan would be even more interesting than usually given the news and changes that are happening.

There were several opportunities to get involved outside of work, whether these were informal evenings, quiz gatherings or just lunches or dinners with colleagues. Even when the 'official' programme exhausted its events, my fellow interns often organised additional calls and activities. There were several Zoom quizzes (one organised by my division, another one being firm wide for interns), but the highlight of my experience was a virtual escape room on which I participated with my team.