Aaminah Aziz from Ark St Alban’s Academy completed a paid internship at NatWest’s Birmingham office over the summer. Through monthly meetings with mentor Bally, she’s built confidence and set goals for the future. Here, she shares her experience.
“I learnt so much throughout my four-week paid internship,” says student Aaminah. “It has been truly transformational and educational.
“A big thing I didn’t know at the start is that NatWest is not all about finance! There is a section for cultural events and so many opportunities that don’t involve maths.”
A taste of the world of work
Aaminah completed her internship with supervisor Natalie Bailey in the NatWest Customer & Colleague Journey Enablement team, where she got stuck into lots of projects.
“I put together a poster for a virtual event,” she says. “I enjoyed doing work like doing the poster because I was able to express my creativity.
“I was also part of another project with a few other interns, putting together a presentation on ways to save for both children and adults. I would set up a room for us as a group to meet in and practice, with the help of my host manager.
“I enjoyed attending meetings with Natalie as it made me feel like I was actually working as part of the NatWest team. I also met the Chief Operating Officer, Jen Tippin, which was a great experience.
“My biggest weakness before the internship was communication, and confidence. I’ve developed both skills – by the end, I felt it was much easier to speak in front of an audience. My end-of-internship presentation included more than 50 people!”
Providing a fresh perspective
Natalie adds: “Aaminah was consistently keen to learn, demonstrating a genuine interest in developing her skills and gaining a deeper understanding of the work.
“Her openness to feedback was especially impressive; she took every suggestion as an opportunity for growth and implemented changes quickly and effectively. This mindset not only improved her own performance but also contributed to a more collaborative and dynamic environment.
“What stood out most was her ability to contribute fresh, insightful ideas. Her suggestions not only demonstrated creative thinking but also added real value to our projects. Her perspective helped us explore new approaches and ideas that benefited the broader goals of the project. Her engagement and curiosity were invaluable assets to the team, fostering both her development and ours.”
An insight to different career paths
During her internship, Aaminah spoke to NatWest colleagues about their career paths. “The team provided me with so much information about their experiences,” she says. “This internship will help me in the future. I feel like I hold a golden ticket – this great experience and great insight into the industry.”
The support of a mentor
Aaminah’s mentor Bally Khutan, who also works for NatWest, added: “It’s been great working alongside a young person, as I can share my history and support them with making the right choices for them – making a real impact.
“It’s been a great experience watching Aaminah become confident as she progresses. She’s shown eagerness, commitment and passion in wanting to excel in everything.”
“There is so much to say about the benefit of having a mentor,” Aaminah adds. “Bally has provided me with so much advice, support and guidance as well as sharing her insights into her experiences.
“Bally has helped me boost my confidence and self-esteem, always encouraging me and motivating me to believe in myself. I have been able to set and achieve goals, as well as do the one thing that I was afraid to do which is lists and scheduling.
“Bally has definitely helped me prepare for the future and supported me through my career journey by allowing me to grow my network and giving advice on my next steps. I have enjoyed my time with Bally and the support that she has given. It has been truly transformational.”
