Students who took part in Saffery Trust Guernsey’s four-week summer internship have said that the programme for exceeded their expectations.
The paid internship gave four students the opportunity to work with both client-facing and non-client-facing teams across the office, providing insights into a wide range of career paths, including trust administration, compliance, accounting, digital transformation, marketing and people and culture.
Students Alex Cerciello-Rega, Lily Jones, Sebastian Ellis, and Vanessa De Vasconcelos were selected following a competitive application process after impressing with their enthusiasm and drive to gain real-world workplace experience.
Lily, who hopes to gain a professional qualification in Guernsey after an upcoming gap year to travel, said: “I was really keen to take part in this internship because I hoped spending time with all the departments would help me in deciding what area I’d like to work in in future. The internship exceeded my expectations and has been incredibly useful to help me get a taste of different careers.”
Vanessa will be attending the Sixth Form Centre in September to study business studies, sociology, psychology, and core mathematics, after which she plans to build a career in finance. She said: “I had previously been very set on a career in accountancy, but this internship has made me realise there are many different careers in the finance industry that I might want to explore. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know everyone and the different roles they have. Everyone was so welcoming which helped me to settle in very quickly and it felt like I was part of the team; the internship definitely exceeded my expectations, and I would recommend it to others.”
Alongside client service, responsible business is another cornerstone of Saffery Trust’s culture and activities. The interns gained first-hand experience of corporate social responsibility by organising a ‘Gig on the gravel’ in support of St John Guernsey LBG, the firm’s chosen charity of the quarter. The event featured an acoustic set performed by intern Sebastian and raised an additional £425 to supplement the firm’s standard donation.
Saffery Trust Managing Director, Nick Batiste (pictured), said: “The feedback on Alex, Lily, Sebastian, and Vanessa from across the office has been phenomenal. They approached every opportunity with enthusiasm and professionalism, and it was fantastic to see how quickly they embraced the challenges presented to them. We’re proud to have supported their development and look forward to seeing where their future careers take them.”
