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I found out about the awards in October at a university careers fair and I thought it sounded like a fantastic opportunity. I looked into it further when I got home, but I really didn’t think I stood a chance. With so much uni work, I thought it probably wasn’t even worth my time applying. However, after I had completed my Christmas exams I thought I may as well give the first stage of the application a shot. So I decided to apply for the Mathematics, Economics and Finance award sponsored by Gazprom.

After a number of different online applications and tests, I was surprised and delighted to eventually be invited to an assessment centre with Gazprom. I thought that if anything, this would be a good learning experience and practice for the future. The day consisted of a couple of group exercises and an interview. It was lovely to get to know some of the other candidates and work with them during the group exercises. During the assessment centre, we found out that Gazprom would be offering an additional seven candidates internships, as well as choosing a winner. I left thinking how much I would love to be offered one of the eight internships – I had really enjoyed my day at the assessment centre, and after meeting a range of employees and learning more about the firm, I really felt like this was somewhere I would enjoy working.

I tried not to think too much about the assessment centre afterwards – I really didn’t know what my assessors or interviewers thought, and knew that all the other candidates I had met were of such a high standard. Not long went by until I got a call one day from HR offering me an internship. I think I almost passed out I was so excited!

Fast-forward another couple of weeks and I suddenly found myself surrounded by around 100 other finalists and a range of industry professionals and employers at a beautiful venue in Canary Wharf. We enjoyed an amazing three-course meal before hearing from Countdown’s Rachel Riley, who went on to announce the winners. When I saw my name come up on the screen as the winner I really couldn’t believe it. I think my body froze for a couple of seconds before I could get up and receive my award from Rachel Riley and Gazprom’s Director of HR. I was just so delighted to have been offered an internship and had already had such an amazing day at the final; to win was really such a lovely bonus.

I am incredibly excited for my summer with Gazprom in both London and Singapore – the heat of Singapore will definitely be a new experience for my ginger, Northern Irish complexion!