Hear from two of our summer interns on their experience here at Options, what they enjoyed most about this internship experience, and skills they plan to take with them into their second year as they return to the University of Cambridge.
Conor McKenna:
My name is Conor McKenna, and I’m going into my second year studying Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology at the University of Cambridge. I first came across Options IT through a LinkedIn advert and what really stood out to me was that this global FinTech organisation was headquartered in Belfast, not far from where I live! After securing an internship position, Options also reached out to sponsor the Cambridge University GAA club, which I had recently restarted, providing us with essential equipment and brand-new jerseys.
The internship began with two weeks of structured training, covering the key IT and technical skills needed for the support role. This was especially valuable for me, as I had little prior technical experience. It quickly became clear that everyone, regardless of background, starts on an equal footing. We also gained a deeper understanding of what Options does as a company and the different engineering teams we might progress into.
The culture at Options is welcoming, energetic, and collaborative. From day one, we were made to feel part of the team through a new starters lunch, a night out with colleagues, and the open and supportive environment in the office. On the support desk, I rapidly learned how to handle a wide range of IT issues, developing problem-solving and communication skills by speaking with clients daily.
One of the highlights of the internship was travelling with my new starter group to Options’ New York office in Manhattan’s financial district. We visited client sites, gained insight into the financial sector, and even toured the NY3 and NY4 data centres, where a quarter of New York’s trades pass through. In our downtime, we made the most of the city: cycling through Central Park, grabbing Joe’s pizza in Times Square, and crossing the Brooklyn Bridge into DUMBO.
This internship gave me invaluable technical experience in the financial sector and introduced me to so many incredible people. The skills I’ve developed are highly transferable, wherever my career may take me (hopefully back to Options!), and the experience in New York was truly one of a kind!
Victor Liu:
I’m Victor Liu, a second year studying Engineering at the University of Cambridge. Options wasn’t a company I’d heard of before, but I was intrigued by a recruiting email and (one quick interview later) was ready to explore the possibilities.
After meeting many friendly colleagues on my first day we launched into the training program. We were taught how to handle all sorts of issues from password resets (simple, relatively) to phishing emails (malware beware!). Even with the vast array of tools in our arsenal, we collaborated with the many engineering teams who develop the systems themselves. This communication would become a theme throughout my time here.
There was plenty of entertainment to break up all the information, including a huge new start buffet lunch and a company night out at one of Belfast’s many historic pubs. In the office, the atmosphere is always relaxed and open which made it easy to get to know everyone (helped along by a few snacks from the communal stash!).
As my first client-facing role, the greatest takeaway from this internship for me could be described as “diplomatic skills”: one must be professional and sensitive when interacting with clients, especially considering that both parties may be under stress from the issue. Although we were taught that every problem has occurred before (providing a trove of experience to draw from), the variety of client needs and systems makes each day unique. If you take initiative, you’ll never be bored in this line of work.
A key perk of the support desk at Options is the opportunity to travel – with offices on almost every continent, there’s a destination for everyone. I travelled to New York for 4 weeks staying in the Options apartments there, which was an incredible spot for my first time in NYC! Visiting client offices by day and exploring Manhattan in the evening was an unforgettable experience for sure. Between the varied systems I encountered and the travel opportunities, I thoroughly enjoyed my internship this summer and will take my newfound skills with me as I return to Cambridge for my second year.
Conor McKenna and Victor Liu
University of Cambridge Students