Looking out of my office window over the past couple of weeks had been a sight that I am not used to back at home.  Snow lining the surrounding hills, its safe to say that the big chill is certainly very well acquainted with Halifax!  In the office though, its business as usual with the coffee machine becoming an ever popular feature helping out with those occasional early mornings and late nights!

To lead on since my last update, I have completed my first project which changed the process to the way people book and monitor test environments.  It is currently in the insurance period and I am pleased to say I am now working with additional stakeholders to work out how we can expand the scope of the current operation to include even more interested parties.   In addition to this I have begun to work on a new project which is part of a programme to transform the line of the bank that I am currently working in.  I have been given key responsibilities around reporting to senior management and managing the logistics and creation of teams to carry the project forward over the coming months.  The skill range is very varied and I am enjoying the challenge of being part of a larger programme and seeing the scale of some of the projects/programmes the bank is producing.

On the recent developments front, I will be relocating for my second placement which is within the risk platform.  I will be appointed as a CIO Risk Partner remaining in Group Operations and currently undergoing the small process of moving to London and meeting my new line manager to understand how I can most make an impact and drive business forward.  Additionally, I was fortunate enough to be asked to help out at a Graduate Assessment Centre in recent weeks.  The day was great but I felt a real sense of relief that I wasn’t been assessed and didn’t envy what the candidates had to go through! It was great to be able to help people with questions knowing that just over a year ago, I had also been in their shoes.  At around the same time I became a member of the Business Technology Committee which promises to keep me busy over the next few months. Myself and the other members will be expected to deal with everything from organising charity days to establishing proposed changes and improvements to the programme.  All in all, the next few months promises to continue to offer the opportunity really shape out a great career with Lloyds Banking Group.

If anybody would like to find out more surrounding the scheme or has an interest to know more detail about placements/life on the scheme, please feel free to reach me on paul.bowman1@lloydsbanking.com and I will try and be as helpful as I can be!