Nampaka Nkumbula

I worked in the portfolio management team of the Export Finance Department, my role exposed me to variety of experiences, such as working with financial statements, legal documents, strategy papers, getting insight on how to deal with clients and associates outside the bank and bank compliance. This enabled me to understand some aspects of being a successful portfolio manager. I enjoyed having been guided by my mentor through the whole process; I could bounce ideas off him or seek his guidance on issues. He always made time, even when he was busy, to make sure I was working well and getting the most of the time I spent in the department to learn as much as possible. My team was also very supportive and I always felt like I was part of the team, they were readily available to answer questions and share tasks.

I must say that this experience has affected me in ways I did not foresee. As with most experiences in life, things do not usually go as planned, but always end up leaving you with something good and worth-while (and often better than what you had anticipated). At first I was slightly frustrated that the tasks would not be that of what I had, but over the past three months, I can see that in many ways this discrepancy has turned into a wonderful and unique experience which has opened my eyes to new opportunities and positively changed my ambitions for the future.

Noticeably every moment I have spent on the internship has taught me that in pursuing my career, I must be alert at solving a problem. Simply working in the office and getting used to everything here has definitely prepared me for whatever my next position may be. Just observing the everyday events has taught me more about teamwork, and how people can come together to get things done. I also realized that is important maintain punctuality in order to be successful. Another key to success entails that an individual has to have a professional attitude in order to fit in the competitive market. At the same time, one should have the ability to network with people in the field of his profession.

My stay with my host family was simply awesome. Elena and Phillip were extremely supportive of me in everything I endeavoured to do and did their best to make me as comfortable and feel as much as home as possible. They also gave me the freedom to be independent and very comfortable at home and when I felt challenged at work, they were always there to offer advice and a listening ear. Elena and Phillip made my stay in Switzerland absolutely memorable and I feel like I am part of their family. I could not have been any more lucky!