Alby Ajin, from Holy Rood RC High School in Edinburgh, did his paid internship at NatWest, where his mentor Marcus also works. The experience helped him to decide on a career for the future – which he’s now working towards at university. This is his story.
“Before Career Ready, I was really lost,” says Alby. “Looking back, I was far less confident, awkward, and a bit scared of the world outside of school. I had no idea where I wanted to go.”
But support from his mentor, Marcus Robertson – Global Curriculum Lead at NatWest Group – helped Alby start to change that.
“A mentor often sees more possibilities for you than you do. Through spending time with my mentor Marcus, and with the different tasks we’d work through, I realised a lot more about who I am and what I want to do with my life.
“Marcus did an amazing job helping me to develop my confidence. He got me involved with quite a few things and really gave me the opportunities and experiences I needed. I’ve grown a lot.”
Stepping into the ‘grown-up’ world
Alby completed his four-week paid internship in summer 2023, at NatWest. He joined host manager Amy in Risk.
“With the internship, I finally got some exposure of what it was like working in the ‘grown-up’ world,” he says. “I actually learnt what a bank was like, and it was amazing – nothing like I had expected.
“My internship was in reputational risk. I learnt how to do research on different companies and industries, summarise key information, and present my findings in a clear, easy-to-understand manner. I found it quite satisfying!
“We had online learning days where we would hop on online calls with other teams and people involved with the bank. We would often have in-person meetings and workshops with other teams to understand different parts of the bank better.
“The internship developed my confidence which improved my communication skills. This in turn made me better at networking. I learnt to manage my time well and prioritise.”
Finding a path for the future
“The most important part that I got from the programme was learning what was next for me after school,” Alby says.
“Marcus gave me a few tasks to do which helped me get a better understanding of myself and what I needed to improve on. He put me in situations which really grew my confidence and gave a lot of overall advice to help me make the most of my opportunities. He helped me really think and figure out what it was that I really wanted to do.”
For Alby, that was applying to study Computer Science at the University of Edinburgh – where he’s now well into his first year.
“I’m hoping to go on to work in the field of medical technology,” he says. “With the technological breakthroughs occurring, I am sure that I can work hard and do my part there to help people.
“Career Ready helped me find what I wanted for my future, which led to me choosing this route. The programme connected me with a lot of really great people who gave me fantastic advice and gave me experience in working as part of a team in a big company.
“With help from Career Ready and NatWest, I also entered the Ivy House Future Leaders Competition, which I managed to not only secure a spot on, but also win! I’ve had the honour of meeting a lot of amazing people and experiencing amazing things.
“If you have the opportunity to do Career Ready, don’t think. Just join. It’s an amazing opportunity if you are willing to open yourself up and fully commit to it. You will never regret it.”
