I'm really excited about the next group of Saltire Fellows.

There are a number of reasons for this positive anticipation.  Firstly, meeting people that are willing to try something new and boldly go - is stimulating.  Having had the experience, it will be great to watch the next group develop as individuals and as a group.  Then, there will be the interface with the first group and the huge skills base and network that will emerge from that.  This next group will benefit from our experiences and we can guide them, to an extent, on how best to achieve tangible results from the experience.

I enjoyed Babson and it really opens your mind up...to the possibilities that exist within businesses to effect change and make improvements. For me though, the externships were fantastic!  ShawCor in Texas and Brightwork in Glasgow presented realtime learning and the chance to put into practice everything I learned at Babson.

The big differentiator between a typical MBA and the Saltire Fellowship is the onus put on leadership, personality and character.  It is not simply pounding the books.  You will spend a fair amount of time learning about leaders, leadership and leading. 

It took me a while to plug into this. I was quite critical at first and Karen Ayas, our leadership and teamworking guru, had to work hard.  Entrepreneurial people don't always play by the rules.  Entrepreneurial thinkers can make things happen and bring people with them.

So for potential candidates who are applying or thinking of giving it a go and employers who may be thinking of sponsoring a candidate, the Fellowship does not operate like a cookie cutter.  It creates....right from the application process.