I chose to do my placement at SMBC Group because…
I am currently studying cyber security at university and chose to pursue an IT Security Internship at SMBC as I believed it would be a great opportunity to put what I have learned in university into practice while gaining valuable skills in a corporate banking environment.
I was especially excited about the opportunity to rotate through different roles within IT Security, such as Governance Risk and Control, Security Engineering, and Cyber Resilience, which would give me a holistic understanding of cybersecurity practices. The bank's 400-year Japanese heritage interested me as the emphasis on respect, teamwork, and integrity aligns well with my studies in cybersecurity.
My job involves…
I work in the Information Security and Technology Risk Control Department and recently completed my rotation in Security Engineering, where I had the opportunity to work with the network security team. During this rotation, I was responsible for cleaning the firewalls by removing redundant or unused firewall rules and objects. I also responded to IT request tickets and troubleshot access-related issues. Additionally, I generated weekly reports to verify if all firewall changes were implemented correctly.
On a typical day…
On a typical day, I begin with a morning team meeting where we discuss the focus areas and tasks for the week. After the meeting, I work on the tickets assigned to me, troubleshooting any issues that come up. Once I've worked through the tasks, I submit my tickets for peer review so my colleagues can check my work before it's sent for authorisation.
We then have a Change Advisory Board meeting to go over the changes pending approval. During this meeting, we discuss the reasons for the changes, their business justification, and their potential impact on the organisation.
After the meeting, I have lunch with my colleagues, then return to work on my tickets. If I need help with my tickets, I arrange a quick meeting with my colleagues to walk them through the steps I've taken and ask for guidance on how to resolve the issues.
What I enjoy most about my internship…
I really enjoy being part of a friendly team that is always willing to help and collaborate. We regularly discuss tasks together, and I feel like an integral part of the team, as I am trusted with various responsibilities. I also enjoy learning about the different teams and how they work together to secure SMBC's IT infrastructure.
Top tips for future interns considering a placement at SMBC Group…
If you're considering applying for a placement at SMBC, my top tips would be to show curiosity and eagerness to grow professionally and technically. Emphasise your skills and experiences and explain how they can be applied or transferred to different areas within the bank to help you progress throughout the placement. It is also important to understand SMBC's culture and purpose and how you can relate to these values to ensure you strengthen that culture whilst you're here.