I guess it’s time to start rolling out the half way mark clichés

‘I can’t believe how fast it has gone’

‘Wow… half way already’

‘Only 4 weeks to go! Jeeez I have learnt soo much already’

take your pick.

I’m starting my second week in business development and I can tell already it is going to be a tale of two weeks.

1st WEEK

 For my analysis of 5 competitive companies I took the university approach – got on Google/Emerald/ J-store and started reading up on Wood group’s competitors.

20- 30 hours of work = 12 lines of relevant information 

This week I have adopted a new approach – a multinational company employee approach.

2nd WEEK

Email and speak to as many as people as possible. Head of offshore, Business development, US sales and the US operations manager have all already chipped in with their opinions and what they see as relevant. Even the janitor gave me some good advice on how I can the beer smell out of the carpet.

This has resulted in far more efficient research.

4-5 hours work = 5 pages of relevant information… and a fresh smelling carpet!

This seems to be another one of those many ‘life lessons’ that seem to be racking up over here.

‘Ask the right questions to the right people and you will get to where you want to be. ‘ (or something like that)

Which again, reinforces what the Saltire Internships are, though you have to work hard on every project, fundamentally we are all working in these successful companies in order to meet people and build relationships and build networks that can be utilized to benefit Scotland’s future. These contacts will hopefully enable us to become the next generation of business leaders. It’s also a lot more fun then sitting in front of a computer screen for 30 – 40 hours a week.

Reflection done – Katie Michaels, how do you like them apples ;)

Last week was again very eventful.

Monday we headed to an Astros Vs. Cincinnati Reds baseball game. We enjoyed yard long daiquiri’s in the awesome indoor Minute Maid arena! The daiquiris did their best to numb one the most unexciting sports ever created, only to be beaten by bowls and speed walking.  

On Wednesday Wood group treated us to the Natural science museum and butterfly exhibit for an ‘educational’ trip! It was an awesome afternoon of running round like 5 year olds (well only me) and walking round a massive conservatory filled with butterflies, and learning of course.

Again I will summarize the weekend with my personal highlight, relating to Saltire scholar qualities.

3^rd Saltire quality – Entrepreneurial (opportunity seeking)

At the NASA space centre Chris (team TAESL) and I found a presidential lectern before ‘the history of NASA’ movie exhibit.  We saw this as a unique photo opportunity. So of course we proceeded to pretend to be the president, barking out fake orders and admiring how real and authentic the lectern looked and felt.

The families of tourists around us found it particularly funny but still refrained from venturing near the lectern.,, The film started, the room went black… apart from the lectern.

Narrator – ‘We are very privileged here at NASA to have this unique piece of American history , John F Kennedy announced the moon landing from this very lectern, please take care of it’

15 families of tourists stare disapproving at us. I’m sure I even heard a few ‘tuts’.

Saltire, 1 – NASA’s small ‘Do not touch’ sign, 0

Also, as our Saltire t-shirts are black we struggle to wear them in any situation in Houston. I have taken it upon myself to edit myself a new Saltire t-shirt…

Again I would like to thank everyone that got in touch about Vegas and look forward to see all of you out there!

And Mr Trump/Trumpy/ D-man, I am looking forward to the confirmation on the upgrade… and if you fancy it, you are more than welcome to buy us a pint.

This weekend Team Houston and Team TAESL will be heading to Austin! Texas’s notorious university party town, of course we will be visiting all the cultural/ educational attractions Austin has to offer!

Hope y’all having good time!

Jack