Undergraduates

The beginning of a fantastic Summer....

2013-05-06T19:08:00Z

It has now been almost 3 weeks since I received the call from Claire at the Saltire Foundation, who was calling to offer me the position within the Edrington Group, with the Famous Grouse company as their PR & Innovation intern, and I still can't quite believe it!

My name is Selina-May Miller, originally from the Shetland Islands, but moved down to Edinburgh three years ago to start my degree in Entrepreneurship with Festival & Events Management at Napier University. I also work for the wonderful Scottish Institute for Enterprise, and just generally I'm hugely passionate about entrepreneurship in Scotland.

When I initially applied for the Saltire Scholarship Programme, I wasn't sure if I would make it past the application process. However, I have found the whole process, (the speed interviews, the cover letters and the actual interviews themselves) to be very interesting and I almost feel as though I have gained so much experience from them.

In just over 5 weeks, I will be starting my internship in West Kinfauns for the Famous Grouse company, and even whilst typing this I am smiling. The Famous Grouse brand has been a huge family favourite for a number of years, especially with my grandfather who sadly passed away 4 years ago. As soon as I read the internship description, I knew that everything had happened for a reason and I couldn't believe how perfect the role was. I will be concentrating on helping organise the brands birthday on the 12th of August this year- last year the company broke the world record for the largest bottle of whisky, and the year previous to that they held a festival (which sounds amazing to me!) I also hope to help in the brand development side of things, but we'll see what they need me to do!

On 12th of April 2013, I had my interview at the Edrington Group building in West Kinfauns , and I honestly think the receptionist there thought I was mad! All of the brands that we all know and love were scattered around this beautiful building and I actually couldn't stop smiling and looking at everything, I don't think I actually believed I was going there for an interview, it almost felt like a dream.

Since finding out about getting the internship with the Edrington Group, I don't think I have stopped telling people about it- even strangers! Currently still searching for accommodation in Perth/Crieff over Summer, and I am actually quite excited about visiting Crieff itself as I have never really been into the area before.

So I guess that's all I have to update for now! Will perhaps do another blog before the internship starts.

As my grandfather would always say, holding up a nip of Grouse:

"Slàinte mhath!"

(Cheers!)

Why is Chicago Called 'The Windy City'?

2013-05-03T13:57:00Z

It is now 5 weeks and 1 day exactly until I will be on a plane to Chicago embarking on the opportunity and summer of a lifetime.
I wanted to wait to start blogging until after my last exam, and this afternoon I finally finished my 3rd year of University and can allow myself to start looking forward to my upcoming internship!

I found the whole Saltire process to be challenging and rewarding, but it was also a lot of fun (I'm not sure if I'll be the only one admitting this but I had a blast at the speed interviews), and like many who were successful in their first choice of internship, it seemed too good to be true.
I had been praying for the internship at CHICAGO SCOTS since I had found out about them while researching companies involved with Saltire, however I had to wait a little longer than some that interviewed in the first stage list to hear the outcome due to snow storms in Chicago, my own interview was threatened to be cancelled by the flurries! After I had nearly convinced myself that I wouldn't be going when Claire told me the news I was definitely in shock due to having very nearly given up hope and after putting the phone down to Claire I literally jumped for joy.

Since then I've not stop talking about the summer I'll be spending with CHICAGO SCOTS - to my family, friends, colleagues, lecturers, people that have been unfortunate enough to sit beside me on public transport...I cannot get over how unbelievably lucky I am to be going! And while I already knew about events that I will be lucky enough to attend like the Highland Games, I find out I also have the Scottish Home Picnic, White Sox baseball game and 4th of July celebrations to look forward to! Which I will be able to tell you all about in due course.

Though I must say I've sat exams I consider to be easier than the American visa process! Just when you think you've filled out all the forms you can, there's more!
But thankfully I'm now at the stage of the interview and I have chosen to travel to Belfast's American Consulate, because I have not yet made it to Ireland, meaning I am taking a mini break on the 15-16th of May to Belfast which I am very much looking forward to and hopefully include a visit to the Titanic Belfast museum which opened a year ago and really I want to see. So, two birds, one stone I guess!

So to finish off the first blog I have ever written for both Saltire, and in my life, I thought I'd share the answer to one of the most burning questions I asked myself when I received the news of my internship in Chicago. Not 'where will I be staying?' or 'How much time do I have for visa arrangements' but.... 'Why exactly is Chicago called the Windy City?'.

So to satisfy everyone's desire to know - apparently it has nothing to do with the gusts of wind that come off Lake Michigan of which the city is located, the term is in fact said to be coined by editor of the New York Sun Charles Dana in the 1800s, who had said that Chicago was windy because of its politicians being full of 'hot air'.
Safe in the knowledge of the meaning behind Chicago's nickname, in the next month or so I will be getting steadily more excited about the experiences and adventures I will have and the people I will meet, starting with the Leadership day on the 1st of June!
There is still so much to prepare for so I'll start by reading a secondhand book I bought online called How to Speak American...apparently the word 'lollipop lady' doesn't exist over there!

I will write again just before I leave for the 'Windy City'!

One month until take off...

2013-05-01T14:12:00Z

Hi all,

With exactly one month to go until I fly out to Singapore, to begin my internship with GlaxoSmithKline, it seems very appropriate to write my first blog. I must stress that by 'first blog' I mean my first blog ever, not only my first blog for my Saltire internship. I do hope that my writing style suits and that it is entertaining yet informative to read.

It goes without saying that I am extremely excited to have secured an internship through the Saltire Foundation. Not only shall I be interning with one of the biggest biopharmaceutical companies in the world but I shall be doing so in Singapore. I can still recall the afternoon that I received 'the phone call' from Claire informing me of my success in the telephone interview I had with GSK in Singapore. I really was speechless and genuinely couldn't believe that I was the best fit for the internship out of so many applicants. To go through the whole process and secure my first choice internship was an achievement in itself.

Since finding out that I shall be spending the summer in Singapore not only had I to organise my Visa (Work Holiday Pass) but I also had to (and still do have to) purchase summer clothes, business attire and the necessitates. As I blog now my Visa application has been approved (what a relief) and I have to collect this upon my arrival in Singapore. I have also purchased a new suitcase for the trip as my previous suitcase was most definitely on its last legs due to the many flights taken between university and home. A new lightweight suit was a must and so that too has been ticked off of my To-Do list, as are cotton shirts. I am confident that GSK will have air conditioning but I am sure that the commute to and from work would be stifling even with an extremely breathable suit. One thing is for sure, the summer will be far hotter than anything Aberdeen has to offer.

Having never visited Asia I shall go out to Singapore with an open mind. I intend to embrace its culture and become part of the amazing country even for just a short period of time. Although brief I very much intend to make the most of my job but also my evenings and weekends. It is for that reason then that I shall create a list of all the places/sights that I want visit/see. As would be expected I have browsed endless websites and images of Singapore to get an idea as to what the country is like. The more I see (and hear) of Singapore the more excited I become.

I have discovered that Singapore does have a few m&s stores and so if all else fails I know where I can get something familiar to eat. However I have heard great things about the food in Singapore and very much want to try as much of it as I can - within reason of course.

I think then all that I have mentioned here constitutes a blog and so I shall post it for you all to read and hopefully you enjoying reading my ramblings now and throughout the summer.

I shall next blog in the week prior to my departure from the UK. No doubt I shall be even more excited then especially as third year exams will be over and I can focus solely on the amazing internship that awaits me in Singapore.

Ben.

What has Saltire done for me?

2013-02-09T16:51:00Z

A whole 6 months after my internship has ended, I have ended up reflecting on what my Saltire experience has meant to me.

Last summer I completed my internship with GlaxoSmithKline and was asked to do a presentation reflecting on my time at the site, as well as looking to the future. For someone who hadn't really thought much about what career path I wanted to follow, and who had never been outside Fife for an extended period of time, I began to panic about what to say! Travel? Go into the business sector? Education sector? Postgraduate study? All this got me thinking back to what a 13 year old me wanted....

When I was in high school, I remembered that I was asked to make, out of playdough (oh, the good old days), a wish that we had for the future. I made a globe. I wanted to see the world.

Somewhere along the line, when real life struck and bills were due, I lost track of that goal. But the opportunity Saltire gave me, to leave my comfort zone and try new things, opened my eyes to the world. The world was my oyster.

And so I stood up at the end of my internship and stated that I was going to apply for a scholarship for a years study and travel in the States. This was a scholarship that I had heard about before but didn't think someone like me would ever be able to get.

I have just been awarded the Bobby Jones Scholarship - a fully funded academic year at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, with a generous travel stipend to see the USA. I am finally leaving Fife to experience the world, and if it hadn't been for the experience Saltire and GlaxoSmithKline have given me, my eyes would not have been opened to opportunities like this one and I probably would not have went for this internship.

So thank you GSK and everyone at Saltire for showing me that the world is my oyster! :)

"Nothing to lose, and everything to gain."

2012-10-18T09:45:00Z

As I sit in my bedroom in good old Falkirk, I think back to where I was writing my last post. brightsolid, Shoreditch, London. What a contrast!

It occurred to me that although our time away was extremely important to record, our time back home is equally as important. To reflect back after a major experience is something I tend to do and is something that I've spent a lot of time doing since my return back to 'normality'. Week 6 of uni and the deadlines are rolling in, but instead of struggling to get through it all, I am in no shortage of motivation. My goal of completing my degree to a very high standard is virtually in touching distance and I am more focused than ever. This, I thank both The Saltire Foundation and brightsolid for. I didn't think I could be more determined or ambitious than I was prior to my summer but I really feel like I have come back with an extra sparkle and I am more than ready to show the big bad world who I am. Time management is something that has become even more important in my final year but my extremely full diary only excites me rather than filling me with stress.

Since my return I have been telling anyone that would listen about my experience. Not to show off, (although maybe a little) but so that the awareness of SF only increases. I've been in talks with friends who are now in their third year and encouraging them to apply as for me, there is no greater option. The past few weeks the Saltire Foundation has been on tour around the universities for information sessions and I was only too happy to help out at the GCU session. Telling both students and the careers service about our experience struck a cord for me. I felt jealous that these students who sat before me have the chance to experience something like the summer that changed my life. The only phrase that I could think of to finish my talk was "You have nothing to lose and absolutely everything to gain."

To any 3rd year students who may be reading this to get insight for their application I offer you some advice. Don't hesitate. There are no catches, there are no secrets. There is an incredible network to be apart of and endless opportunities that will only benefit you. Good luck!

I'll leave you now as I get back to the dissertation research. Smiling as I go :-)

Lisa

Why I am donating to the Saltire Foundation

2012-09-28T14:48:00Z

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I read an article in the London Evening Standard a couple of days ago about a recent grad who has applied for over 5,000 jobs and although she has had a couple of interviews she is yet to have had a job offer. Now this lady is clearly a special case, who has obviously had some very unfortunate altercations with smashing mirrors, walking under ladders or passing black cats. But saying that she does provide a good caricature of what is the much wider problem of increasing graduate unemployment. You don't even need to look at the figures, just take a quick survey of friends who have recently completed their studies, most will be looking for a job, applying for further study, or doing a job which is paying the bills but is nothing more than a stop gap.

Unfortunately this is largely the same for all segments of society and of graduates of all universities and all degree courses. However, there is one segment that is bucking the trend, one group that is finding jobs, and not just jobs but really bloody good jobs. That segment although small, is growing, that segment is of course Saltire Scholars. When you complete the same survey with this group, the answers are a whole lot different. When I speak to my fellow Scholars of 2011 they are wholeheartedly bucking the unemployment trend, they are working for major accountancy firms, Solicitors, sustainable energy companies, the BBC, and a whole range of other exciting and highly competitive areas.

Even those that aren't working are doing really amazing things like completing scholarships at the world’s top universities. But the biggest difference is in our collective attitude because even those former Scholars who are looking for work do not have that miserable outlook which has afflicted so many of our peers, they are trying to expand their skills build their CV and search out for new and exciting opportunities.

I myself recently started work as a fully-fledged member of the team at fast growing start-up Hire Space after completing a 6 week internship. I know that without my Saltire experience at Envision Solar I would A. Not have even got my foot through the door and B. Not have been prepared for the level of responsibility that is now coming my way.

During my internship our global Scot, Desmond Wheatley, exemplified the idea of someone who will always look to support Scotland’s growth, but what really struck me was that for Desmond his location thousands of miles away in San Diego was never going to stop his passion for the development of Scotland’s economy. Now most of us aren’t in the position to offer Saltire internships just yet, but we can support them in other ways, for instance in London we are seeing the growth of an Alumni community who will do a lot of work to spread the good word, but perhaps the most significant way we can help the foundation is by donating a little back financially to the organisation that has already given us so much.

I just made my donation, I won’t lie to you and say it was a fortune but as they say every little helps. You can donate now at http://www.justgiving.com/saltirefoundation/Donate

Thank you for the summer..

2012-09-18T21:04:00Z

Dear summer in the US,

I have started writing this blog while I was waiting for boarding in the airport.

My last hours in Houston....Can't believe that summer is almost over, can't believe that my internship is over....10 weeks of excitement, work, fun, stress, emotions flew by.... leaving behind live memories in my mind and in my heart.....

Last week of the internship was bittersweet....Saying goodbye to so many wonderful people I have met here, but at the same time looking forward to meeting my friends back in Scotland and excited for my final year of university.

The internship at JP Morgan gave me more confidence. Made me realise the importance of networking. Made me learn great skills and learn from my own mistakes. Be more grateful about things taken for granted. Made me actually think about my career choices and plans and consider different options.

It wasn't easy to get out of my comfort zone and come all the way to USA, but now, looking back, I am extremely glad and happy I did it. Otherwise, I wouldn't have accomplished all these: developing professionally, discovering some of my personal weaknesses and my strengths, testing and pushing my limits.

I do feel I have grown up a lot and I can't express or find the right words to say how grateful I am for this life-changing opportunity from The Saltire Foundation I was offered. Studying at The University of Edinburgh had a huge impact on my life from my first year of studies. Being a student here in Scotland prepared me to do my best and achieve as much as possible in the USA. And I am so proud to be a student in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Coming back to Edinburgh made me realise as well how much I missed this city and how much I missed the Scottish accent and all the lovely people here. The Saltire Return Reception in Glasgow was a great meeting to exchange stories and greet the other scholars, as well as thinking about different ways on how to give back. I think it's impossible not to have the feeling of giving back and helping others after you have been offered this amazing chance.

The summer may be over, but the memories are all live inside.

For all the moments I shared,

For all the wonderful people I met

For all the new skills I learned

For all the mistakes I made

For the really hot weather in Texas

For the amazing weekend in NYC and the unique time at Metropolitan Museum of Art

For the weekend in San Antonio

For the lovely time in Austin

For the incredible Sunday at the Houston Space Centre

For my amazing team in Houston

For the positive atmosphere at JP Morgan

For my two awesome managers

For all the incredible people I had the chance to work with

For the great interns at JP Morgan that adopted me from day one

For my incredible boyfriend that came to visit me

For my friends and family that are always there for me

For the Saltire Foundation opportunity, the unique chance that literally changed my life

For Scotland

A HUGE warm THANK YOU ALL.

There is a great journey ahead. Can't wait for the adventure that might have already begun.

Best wishes,

Anda-Lucia Flintoaca

JP Morgan Houston Summer Intern 2012

Saltire Scholar

One Small Step Indeed...

2012-09-11T10:55:00Z

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step" - Lao Tzu

The above insight is quoted from the philosophical musings of Lao Tzu and was the opening line in my very first blog entry as a Saltire Scholar (http://www.saltirefoundation.com/cs/blogs/undergraduates/archive/2012/06/08/one-small-step.aspx). Lao Tzu is widely regarded as one of the fathers of Taoism, one of the most respected and revered philosophical movements within Asian culture: a movement which places much emphasis on an individuals need for compassion, moderation and humility. With these cliched, yet often overlooked, philosophical undertones the above quotation really could not have been a more fitting description of what my experience at Dundas Global Investors (herein Dundas) would ultimately become. I went into my time at Dundas with a mindset cultivated by years of schooling, testing, praise and little in the way of criticism or even critical self reflection. Growing up (and for the majority of people's adult lives) we often get into the habit of judging ourselves, and in particular how 'successful' or important we consider ourselves to be, by the commentaries and remarks we receive from others. After 8 weeks (that quickly turned into 12) with Dundas its crystal clear to me that this need not, and should not, be the case. Regardless of how talented or 'successful' you are told or believe you are, every person you will ever meet can teach you something that will improve you as an individual. In this regard I owe a massive thank you to my hosts and in particular those within the team more experienced than myself.

It was remarkable to be part of an organisation that has benefited tremendously from the freedom and trust that it places in each and every single one of its employees regardless of their age or previous background. I am happy to report that I received the same freedom through-out my time at Dundas and every task I was given added value to what was already a great organisation. This freedom coupled with the direct support and guidance I received from gentlemen who's careers and character I hugely admire meant that as well as my getting the most out of my short time with Dundas they were also able to benefit, in some small way, from the fresh perspective that I brought to the table. As well as learning so much about an industry and profession that until that point was hugely alien to me I learned an incredible amount about how to carry myself as a person and present my ideas in a more effective and team orientated way. That is something I will carry with me regardless of what I end up doing after university.

What was also refreshing to be part of was that alongside the personal journey and transformation I was undertaking Dundas as an organisation (and ultimately as a start-up) was breaking equally unfamiliar ground. I entered an organisation that had spent the best part of two years getting itself to a place where it could legitimately call itself a business. It gives me great pleasure to say that I definitely left a business after those intense 12 weeks and on my final day Dundas launched its first daily priced fund which was to be capitalised with the savings of savers over half a world away in Australia. This brought home the truly global nature of the business environment that we compete in today and I often found myself reading up about aspects of life and businesses from Indonesia to the US that I never thought I would. Watching how the business took this product (the fund) from inception to launch was a remarkable experience and again was a great insight into the success and effectiveness of the alternative, yet complimentary, leadership and management styles adopted by Dundas' directors. It was refreshing to finally understand that there is more than one way to get something done and that the pursuit of absolute perfection is sometimes redundant and counter productive.

It is hard to express in this blog how much I feel I have changed as a result of my time with Dundas and will continue to develop the professional and personal skills I picked up along the way. I have no doubt that Dundas will continue on its current path and grow to become one of the UK's most respected Investment Management houses and it is my sincere hope to play a part in this future development and resulting success.

To the Saltire Foundation, and most importantly to the team at Dundas, thank you for a truly unique experience.

Donald

Saltire Scholar 2012

Dundas Global Investors

Is it really over?

2012-09-09T19:14:00Z

My twelve weeks with Aggreko is now done so I think a summary of my last week and a round up of my experience is what is needed!

During my second last week, my sister visited Dubai as she was desperate to find out what it really was like - she LOVED it! Although she found sunbathing a bit difficult not being acclimatised to the 50 degree heat - seeing us together and comparing skin colour was hilarious (see below!) yet despite out colour difference we got asked if we were twins about half a dozen time sin five days! We went to Aquaventure at Atlantis on the Palm Jumeirah island and also swam with dolphins; I have always wanted a pet penguin (not sure about the logistics of this but anyway) and now I also want a pet dolphin. They are so lovely and watching the relationship between them and their trainer was incredible - the trust, loyalty and friendship:

Having my sister here was brilliant but when she left I got a little homesick! It's not often my sister has that effect on me, if ever!

Aggreko were keen this year to give each of us a specific main project, as I have mentioned, so that we could have one focus for our summer. Although in reality I was involved in several other projects too, just as you would be if you were fully employed by them. This gave me an insight into the pace of work, volume of work and also the importance of being organised.

Over the last week or so with Aggreko I put together a summary presentation, handover sheet and feedback report. The presentation was to highlight both the areas that I worked in and also my overall experience in Dubai/with Aggreko in general. The handover sheet will hopefully provide my colleague, Lara, with the status of the work that I was doing and the feedback report really showed how great an experience this has been for me as I couldn't really find any major points of improvement! From the start, Aggreko made it clear that they wanted to learn from last year's experience and try to improve it for all involved. From what they said, this was achieved by assigning an individual project on which we can now report to Saltire. As I've mentioned before, Aggreko have a continuous improvement programme in place called Orange Excellence and it shows that the positive, forward-thinking outlook has even affected the internships that they offer.

As is with most things, you always think that one more day would really give you enough time to conclude to an even more detailed degree! I started writing my presentation well in advance and was sure that I had it ready to go yet there was me in the half hour before the presentation still making little adjustments - you can always improve. I was keen that my presentation to three of the managers and Lara would show what I had worked on and the skills that I had gained but also show how the overall experience has affected me. After all, Aggreko and Saltire had given mean opportunity to develop both professionally and personally.

To summarise my presentation, I began with overall aims and expectations which included wanting to make an effective contribution, convincing myself that I could (and needed to) push the boundaries of my comfort zone and to gain experience in another area of engineering. Next followed the summary of my Heat Recovery project detailing the AutoCAD drawings, technical product packages and progress reports that I had made. I think, particularly with this project, it was great to be involved in all aspects of the project from design to project management and product specification. I was also involved in several other smaller projects one of which has involved many discussions with suppliers for plastic support blocks for our containers. I really enjoyed this task which saw me sourcing suppliers, identifying the most important product specs and then finally last week passing the project over to Purchasing for negotiations.

As you can see, I have been involved in many areas of the work that happens at Aggreko and this has led me to gain a wide range of new skills; both specific to the industry or project as well as more general skills such as takings meetings and correspondence. I found that making a presentation to the team gave me good structure to my report. Making presentations and being able to discuss your findings with others, who may not necessarily know a great deal about the project, is a good skill to practise.

So summer with Aggreko has ended and it was more emotional leaving than I thought - having an ice cream cake (so yummy!) as a joint gift for myself and Alex leaving as well as a massive thank you/ happy birthday to Lara really made it hit home that Thursday was my last day. Three months with Aggreko has given me the chance to meet so many fantastic people. Getting on with the people that you work with not only improves efficiency but it creates a welcoming, positive atmosphere and it is fair to say that Aggreko has achieved this. I cannot thank the Aggreko team enough and in particular, Lara. She took me under her wing and I could not believe how many projects one person can be involved in and still achieve the results!

So in reference to the title "Is it really over?", the answer is no, not by a long way! I may have left Dubai (for now!) but this is an important point about a Saltire internship, the network that you make whilst working is not just a summer thing it is for the future. It is for building on. This internship, experience and ever increasing network/friends has and will provide me with a base from which I can build a career. For that I am very grateful.

'Flying the Saltire'

2012-09-09T13:37:00Z

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It’s been just over a month since I walked away from IBM Shenzhen with tears in my eyes, knowing how unlikely it was that I’d be back; three weeks since I crossed the water to Hong Kong Island via the Star Ferry on the route to Stanley to soak up some sun on the beach, and a mere two weeks since I walked the Great Wall at Mutianyu, dined on Peking Duck and squeezed myself onto the Beijing Subway.

This summer I was one of only 90 Scottish Students ‘Flying the Saltire’ worldwide; people I tell often say ‘WOW, an amazing once in a lifetime experience’ or ‘ohhh that must have been quite the culture shock’ and the most popular expression is ‘China, was that not scary?’ and so far I’ve given generic responses along the lines of ‘it was incredible’, ‘such a variety of cultures’ and ‘it took a few weeks to settle and adjust’- it disappoints me that even three (nearly four weeks) since my return I can’t find a concise way summarise what I believe to have been the most valuable experience of my life to date.

I could have opted to spend my summer travelling, I could have done my usual and juggled an internship and a couple of part time jobs, but this summer after a push to apply for the Saltire programme (courtesy of Tina) I was selected to live and work in Shenzhen China for one of the biggest names in I.T. IBM, not the typical choice for a design engineer, offered me the opportunity to spend some time considering how the skills I have accumulated throughout the course of my degree apply out with the field of Design. Not only did I get the opportunity to learn about the application of my skills but involvement in a manufacturing project allowed me to consolidate, in practice, theoretical learning’s.

The internship although the focus of my 12 weeks in China, was not the steepest climb on the ‘Saltire Scholar learning curve’; I had to re-learn simple things like how to count, how to communicate using facial expressions, the boundaries which constitute personal space and even how to eat food- all things I learned before I even understood the concept of learning. So I spent my first few weeks ‘re-learning’ and battling to accept a constant feeling of ineptitude. I discovered what it was to feel insecure for the first time in my life- which led me to discover how that negatively shifts your perception of the world (the people laughing behind me on the escalator could only have been laughing at me…was it my clothes, shoes, hair, the colour of my skin?? The girls talking at the table next to me had to be talking about me and the people staring were staring because I was hideous???).

My first few weeks were tough but twenty questions a day, two weeks of keen observation of my colleagues and the few friends I’d made and utilisation of numerous online resources; I began to embrace the differences in culture and accept the difficulties involved in tackling everyday tasks. Completion of my internship with IBM marked the end of my time alone in China and the beginning of Chapter Two…travel. My boyfriend Robbie joined me in Shenzhen for a few days before we made our way to Hong Kong and then on to Beijing. I expected him to feel as I had on arrival…like I imagine a martian would if it landed on earth- but his landing was cushioned by the padding I’d erected as a coping mechanism over my eight weeks. I ordered food for us both, I communicated when necessary, I knew which buses to get on, how to get the MTR (mass transit railway) and I knew how to direct taxi driver…so he didn’t have to experience the same level of ineptitude I’d felt initially.

We travelled to Hong Kong, having re-visited all my favourite spots in Shenzhen before we left- Huaichanbei (the operations end of ebay), Lohou ( shoppers paradise), the Costal City, the Expo Park (one of the cities many green oasis’s), OCT Bay (the city’s newest entertainment complex) and OCT Loft (Shenzhen’s answer to Shoreditch). I had visited Hong Kong three times prior to my trip with Robbie, and it had become my paradise- a huge western playground where I could revert back to the more comfortable role of tourist. Once again Robbie didn’t experience the relief I’d expected on arrival in Hong Kong, he loved it as I did but for different reasons. We crammed, bus tours, Sampan Tours, the Peak Tram, a day on the beach at Stanley, and as many meals as we possibly could into the four days we spent there. The weather was fantastic, the food delicious and as always the streets crowded. Hong Kong is travellers must, but it doesn’t constitute a relaxing holiday destination.

It took a four hour flight to Beijing, 12 days into the holiday before Robbie experience his first Taxi shaped leap of faith ( the kind I spent my first two weeks making daily). We took a taxi from the airport to our Hostel, which we were advised should be simple. Our taxi driver couldn’t read pinyin, he spoke no Chinese and couldn’t compute my broad scots mandarin. So we called our hostel and hoped they could explain, while we sat in the back fingers crossed. It wasn’t until we made it that I saw the relief on Robbie’s face and realised for the first time he could relate to my initial fear.

Arriving in Beijing felt like we’d landed in a different country, we’d left 39degrees and 80% humidity for a much more comfortable 35degrees, 20% humidity. The hoteliers, restaurateurs and shopkeepers spoke English, the skyline was low, the streets were wide, and dirty, but there was double possibly triple the space of that in Hong Kong. Shenzhen was a new city, an industrial city, a city of immigrants, an amalgamation of cultures- a city with an average age of 40. Beijing had history; it was inhabited by people whose great-great grandparents had grown up there before them, it struck me that the western perception of China was derived from its Capital city, full of people full of bikes and full of life. We toured the Hutong (the old city), visited the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, ate our weight in Peking Duck (skin dipped in sugar), drank in Sanlitun on bar street, devoured a late night snack of chicken hearts on sticks and walked Great Wall. Beijing alone would have been an unforgettable few days, but for me it was the cherry on top of the most valuable experience of my life to date. I hesitate to use the word ‘amazing’ in place of valuable- there are times in Scotland I experience amazement- alone on a white sand adorned Harris beach, and I feel it a superficial way to describe my time ‘Flying the Saltire’. Despite the thousand above, I’m struggling to find the words to aptly sum up what being a Saltire Scholar in China has been for me and meant to me.

But, what I’d like to make clear is that ‘Flying the Saltire’ was not just valuable…it was ‘Better than Imaginable’.

Since I Took Office…

2012-09-06T18:16:00Z

This morning, I read a science-themed question-and-answer session that Barack Obama and Mitt Romney took part in. It covered such issues as: Energy, Food, The Environment, Health, Space, and so on; fourteen questions that covered the range of subjects on which Americans could seek to extract opinion from their Presidential candidates. Romney would carefully take each in turn and outline a fresh approach, contrasting it with the accused fruitlessness of Obama’s attempt to date. Obama would triumphantly point to ways in which his administration had addressed the issue in a prudent way, and how his commitment was to continue this. He (somebody from his Communications staff) began all his responses with the subtext-heavy phrase, “Since I took office…”, incessantly suggestive of the fact that he was here, with his experience, to defend his title. The point here is that it inspired me to answer in the same way because I too am like Barack Obama. I am in America.

Since I took office, it really has been ‘all go’ out here in New York. I’m in the two-week final stretch right now (my belt is in the same situation), and all my work projects are requiring tidying up for the handover to other team members next Friday. Aside from this, I still have a site visit to a turbine to monitor some test installations, a trip to GE’s Learning Centre with my supervisor, a test to conduct and document here in Schenectady, and a presentation to give to the global Wind Electrical Systems Team about one of the tools I have developed. There should also be some time for food and sleep towards the end of next week.

It is now time for a life lesson of sorts, which is a little bit of a regular feature in these blogs, although I usually try to casually bring it up. Well, they’re about to go formal on a trial basis. Since writing about the projects I’m working on isn’t allowed, I think that relaying some of the pointers they have instilled is the next best thing.

Lesson #1: Pre-Emptive Cognitive Sifting (PECS)

Why are you laughing? PECS is a technique I named, which is all about being as satisfied as can be that all stones have been unturned in an idea/proposal before putting it up for discussion. A couple of times since I started in GE, I have put forward an idea or an opinion, for someone to point out something quite obvious which is either a complicating factor, or a preventative one. Now, these weren’t things I couldn’t have identified on my own, but I certainly didn’t identify them beforehand. I’d humbly put this down to inexperience or haste. The rush of what seems like a brilliant new innovation can be quite heady, and I’ve found it important to come down from that and analyse carefully; even leaving the idea for a day and returning to look at it with a fresh mind, much in the same way as lots of us student-type people would do with an essay. The double benefit here is that the proposal comes across more convincingly, and one’s colleagues will better trust your judgment on more intuitive decisions. In engineering especially, thrashing a solution to within an inch of its life is the way things get decided; poking holes and stretching and leaving it out in the wind and rain overnight. (What a drama queen.) So, sumnatively - and it’s an obvious point I’ve been aware of in the past but one that this internship has led me to correct - it’s always beneficial to spend the time to check a solution thoroughly, and I believe the last spell of my internship has benefited from that focus.

Back to politics a little, to come full circle; the place is a buzz with election fever right now, and it’s exciting to be here for some of it; America is full of some of the world’s most confident, opinionated people, and when it comes to selecting a President, there is no point that goes by quietly without a fight. Working at GE out here has a lot of that same passion, with lots of people eager to get the best from each other, and get the optimum outcome for a design/project or to satisfy a customer. I only have a couple of weeks left, which is a shame, because I feel like it’s rubbing off on me.

Have a great day! (American)

Donald

So the other side of the internship, back in Scotland processing the whole summer, my last blog...

2012-09-03T13:49:00Z

I wanted to write this blog before now, but in a way its worked out that I have more precise thoughts about the summer in Florida now due almost being home for two weeks with time to think. I cannot believe I felt like I had forever in St Petersburg at Jabil, and it was basically over in a blink of an eye, I am sure almost all of us experienced this effect. I want to break my experience down, it will be easier to explain my overall view of it all.

Comparison between the beginning and the end

I feel that at the end I was ready to leave Jabil, I could see that my Boss had big ambitions at the beginning, but corporate ways had us sidetracking of our main goal of the summer a lot, and it got to a point where it was going to be impossible to be involved in such a large project as was intended due to the time disappearing. As I said I felt we had forever to go, but it slowly became the halfway point and then the home stretch towards the end. The end was a bit messy, I had to summarise all my work, research and notes for my boss and basically hand over a summary of my summers work, which was a lot by week 8. Jabil were interested in my continuing to work for them from home up until my university started, but I was not willing to work much during my studies as this is my final and most important year, I guess this was not enough for Jabil, things didn't work out, but I am happy to have had the opportunity to continue the working relationship built up in eight weeks. From being nervous in week one to feeling part of the team in week eight was a long but interesting process.

Living in Florida and dealing with American Culture

I have lived in the USA before for almost 5 months, but in the north east, I felt that this would have prepared me for this summer, but Florida was very different from what I was used to. It was a great time, there was plenty to do, and I done a lot with my Saltire Group, as much as my budget would allow. I would say that I more than maximised my stay in Florida and I was very fortunate to have been well looked after Jabil, they really were very accommodating and they really put a lot of effort into their Internship program, I would definitely recommend Jabil to all and everyone, the overall experience in the USA and at Jabil was high class. The USA is a strange place at times, it can be expensive and cheap at the same time, the people I met were extremely friendly bar the odd one or two but I met a lot of good people inside and outside of Jabil that I will remain friends with.

How the Saltire Foundation and my Internship will play a part in my Future

So having completed eight weeks of work experience for Jabil, in the communications department (using my computer science skills) I feel that I will need to choose my first real graduate job very very carefully. I discovered I do not want to be stuck at a desk with no way of moving up the career ladder. I could easily be researching and problem solving for my manager who hands that to his manager and so on and so forth, with me always being in the same position due to that fact it is convenient to have all bases covered in the office. I have gotten so much experience in a workplace environment that made me realise a lot about what I DO NOT want to do. The end goal is the product, for me it is important to be a part of the big picture, and I have decided to apply for a job at Google before I graduate. In my line of work and interests I could not aim any higher than a job at the worlds largest Technology giant. I have spent a long time researching Google's employment techniques, and collecting a lot of facts and figures, only 1 in 130 applicants will get a job at Google after passing all the interviews and tests, so I have approx 8 months to get in shape! :) I honestly would not have gained the confidence or insider knowledge as to my career hadn't it been for the Saltire Foundation. I hope that I can be involved with the SF for a time to come.

I left Jabil and the rest of my group to go travel and see as many of my friends as possible in the USA, by the time I had landed in Edinburgh I had flown 16 times since leaving Edinburgh on the 4th June. It is sad that the internship part is over, but it truly was an unbelievable experience, most of it I can't express in words, there were great days, tough days, days when I wished the internship would be over, and now I look back and I know it was natural to feel all those things, but also I feel I would do some things differently if I had the chance. I even maintained the attitude of awareness that I will be home in Dundee one day wishing I was back, and that really helped me push myself past my internal boundaries, both inside and out of Jabil.

To summarise, some of the summer was difficult, some of it was new and some of it made me open my eyes, but all of it made me a better more professional Scotsman than I was the day I arrived in Miami to party. It has been a blast and I thank every one who was responsible for having me out in Florida and for my fellow interns who taught me many things and gave me a whole new perspective on great young leaders.

Till I see Y'All again, take care.

Raymond

Thanks for the memories, Houston...

2012-08-28T08:29:00Z

So it may have been nearly 4 weeks since I last finished my internship with Wood Group! Forgive me though my life has been 100mph since then; just 12 hours after finishing the internship I was on a plane to California for 2 nights, then 1 night in Glasgow followed by my arrival in Singapore where I will be for the next 9ish months! It’s been eventful getting settled in here so I apologise for the delay in the latest chapter of my award-winning novel ;-p

4 weeks seems like ageeeeeees ago, although now that I look back on it the 8week internship seemed to last a lifetime in itself. So much fun, so mush learnt, so much achieved! So much to look back on! I remember telling our Globalscot on my last day, “Thank you, it’s been the best summer I could’ve asked for!” – not a truer word spoken! Thanks Saltire and Wood Group!

At the end of the internship I made a presentation to a large number of my colleagues and it really hit home what I had achieved. I guess what I will remember the most about my time is all the great people I met and for the contribution I feel I made to the company. I had 3 projects during my time and each one was so very different but equally just as rewarding and beneficial to the company. What was even more satisfying was the kind words said to my colleague Sarah and I. Our colleagues spoke very highly of our efforts, using such lines as, “we are worried that you two have raised the bar too high for your successors.” Some great comments to take away and ones that give credit towards Saltires selection process – sending the right people to the right placements. It doesn’t happen all too often but I can honestly say I felt proud in myself standing up there and hearing those words. It’s really rewarding knowing that – after being sent half way across the world - I didn’t let Saltire down with the internship they awarded me.

Before I left Wood Group I actually got the chance to interview their GlobalScot, Derek Blackwood. This was a very interesting interview for me (and initially very intimidating given his high position) for Derek himself is a qualified Mechanical Engineer but is now the President of Wood Group Americas and one of the founding members of the GlobalScot network. I was really looking forward to hearing his success story, here’s what he had to say.

Could you please give a brief summary of your career path from leaving school until today?

Graduated from Buckhaven High School, Fife. Then I went to Technical College in Southampton. I had a student apprenticeship with a BP tanker company (merchant navy), which was 4 years long and led towards an HND. It compromised of placements between each year of study and in the second year it actually involved a 7month voyage at sea around the world.

In the last 6 months of the apprenticeship I was working with John Brown Engineering and I actually – at the end of the apprenticeship – immediately left BP in order to stay with John Brown Engineering. For a while I was working with Gas Turbines in the North Sea. I then became a platform engineer with Marathon Oil.

From there I decided to join a new company that was just starting up, this company specialised in specific sectors of the oil and gas industry. It was called APJ Salabus and I was the Managing Director for 6-7 years. We actually competed against Wood Group at that time!

I then joined Wood Group as the Managing Director in 1996 with the aim of growing it internationally. I travelled here to Houston in 1999 and ever since have been growing the business in both North and South America. I was employee no. 32 when I arrived here and we now have over 8000 employees in the Americas alone.

Who or what inspired you in order to take that path?

I was simply in school and one of my classmates sitting next to me had a brochure from the BP tanker company. Basically I liked what I read and I applied despite my parents being very wary about travelling down South. They wanted me to go to University in Scotland.

I simply grabbed an opportunity that was there.

What do you believe was the biggest decision you made on that journey?

The biggest decision was to leave Marathon Oil. Leaving the comfort of a huge operating company in order to head up a brand new business on the contracting side – this came with a lot of risk! The move allowed me to open up and have a large influence on the business that I had then moved into.

(APJ Salabus now makes up part of PetroFAC).

As a globalscot you obviously have a strong interest in Scotland, what are your thoughts on the future of Scotland? In what ways do you feel the country will/could prosper?

I am uncertain on the topic of independence; I do however think there is a long way to go before there is a successful vote.

I think a considerable issue at this time with Scotland is it’s internal focus. Out of around 50 Scottish companies that I have spoken to recently surrounding an expansion to the Americas I have had follow up from just 2. If you (in my case Wood Group) cannot give them immediate business in Scotland then they are not really interested. They can be too introverted. Scottish companies need to have the desire to expand outside of Scotland and leave behind their near-sighted ambition. In my experience I have found that many Scottish companies struggle to relate to life outside of Scotland.

If Scotland is to move forward globally then I feel companies need not be afraid about moving outside of Scotland.

Finally, do you have any advice for the University Graduates of today?

The world is a lot bigger than Scotland. As the world goes forward Asia is going to become dominant.

The kids from Scottish Universities are as capable as anyone in the world and we need to resurrect that belief back home. As a people we need to have a more “can do attitude.” Don’t follow the “ah, but no” attitude!

Think international! Think big! We need to become more internationalised!

I find Dereks story very interesting and to me, really outlines the importance of taking risks and what you can achieve from it! I agree also with his points on the future of Scotland – too often do you see people “saunter” along with the attitude, “it’s just OK.” When in reality a lot more could be achieved! It was a great experience getting to chat with someone of Dereks position – he really left me with a lasting impression and his words are certainly something that will stay with me as I move forward in my career.

That just about wraps it up from me although there is one last thing that I feel I should mention before I go. With Saltire there is much talk surrounding the GlobalScot network, initially I didn’t think this would have much of an impant on me (for the short-term atleast). Well I am pleased to say that in actual fact – within less than 4weeks – I am already putting that networking tool to practice! Part of my curriculum here in Singapore is to do a 5-month work placement (based in Singapore). As such Derek has already put me in touch with a colleague of his in Singapore whom I will be in talks with shortly. And then there is all the GlobalScots based out here who I’ve yet to talk to… ;-)

I love Saltire foundation! Here’s a few pics to leave you with, cheers folks!

Collette, Jordan, Kirsten, Marizza, Sarah and ofcourse Maribel! A special thanks goes to all of you :-D Y’all made it a great summer for me and for that I owe you big time!!! Thanks guys :-)

Who Cares Wins

2012-08-28T07:51:00Z

My last blog entry was titled “2011- A year with a lot to live up to”, so I thought it was about time I shared the journey I’ve been on since then. Between graduation, travelling around SE Asia, moving to London to work as a management consultant with PwC and performing in the Closing Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics, I think it’s fair to say 2011/12 has more than lived up to 2010.

One of the aspects of my job that I love is the variety of opportunities to work in different industries, in different areas of business, with a wide range of people from across the globe. I have been fortunate enough to work on projects which I am passionate about. After 2 months of terrific training, I started my first role at PwC managing the firm’s partnership with Beyond Sport, a global organisation that promotes, develops and supports the use of sport to create positive social change. PwC provide pro-bono consulting support to selected projects across the world and it was my role to coordinate 35 projects with teams from 14 different countries. These projects included Premiership football clubs, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, a charity with Madonna as a Board member to name but a few. Working with these organisations has been hugely inspiring and eye-opening, particularly following a trip to Rwanda to work directly with two charities to help improve their governance and funding strategies. Furthermore, seeing how employees can take their skills, knowledge and experience and transfer this into small, community organisations has enhanced my appreciation of the value of corporate social responsibility programmes (when conducted properly, and not just a marketing gimmick).

At the Beyond Sport Summit (an event which brings together charities, social enterprises, NGOs, government representatives and influential business leaders to discuss sport for development) I met David Jones, the author of Who Cares Wins- why good business is better business. He discussed how the rise of social media is forcing business, politicians and leaders to be more socially responsible, and how in the future he believes it will reward those who are and remove those who aren’t. This was a very though provoking conversation which left me wanting to find out more, so first stop was to buy his book. The opening quote is “Imagine a world where the people who did the most good made the most money...” Even more food for thought. This highlighted to me the importance and increase in number of social enterprises. This is a business model I support and identify with. Through connections with Beyond Sport I am now actively involved in setting up a social enterprise and am supporting PwC’s Community Affairs team to help roll out our Social Entrepreneurs Club nationally, to help support social enterprises set-up and grow.

Since completing my rotation of working with Beyond Sport I have now moved on to working with Sport England to design and deliver part of the Place People Play Olympic Legacy programme. This project aims to up-skill community sports volunteers, coaches and club leaders in the business aspects of running a sports club, to help them become more sustainable and effective following to success of London 2012.

It’s fair to say my first year as an associate management consultant hasn’t been the typical one, but one I wouldn’t change for a second. I’ve learnt so much, met lots of fantastic people and am looking forward to what year 2 of my graduate programme has to offer.

Outside of work I have been kept busy with volunteering as a performer in the Closing Ceremony of the Olympics which was an incredible experience. I still need to watch back videos to remember it wasn’t all a dream! I enjoyed it so much I’ve already signed up for updates on Glasgow 2014.

Summer also saw me meet with the2012 London interns and share experiences, as well as attend the first formal London Alumni event. It was a fantastic night that brought together those of us now residing south of the border and reignite our involvement with the Saltire Foundation. We are working to establish a Saltire London Alumni, so watch this space for more information. In the meantime, I am looking forward to catching up with alumni’s old and new at Aluminate in October :)

Finally, to all the 2012 interns returning uni for their final year- make the most of it. I love my job, but I do still miss the lie-ins and student lifestyle!

C x

Summer ends; a new era begins…

2012-08-24T01:08:00Z

First of all, let me express my amazement upon defeating my inner temptation to begin with a clichéd “leaving on a jet plane” title (credence to a very unconventional summer!) As I fly back to bonny ol’ Scotland ensconced in my plump leather chair (thanks BA!), my mind is preoccupied with two questions: 1) How utterly depressing is the weather back in Scotland; will I immediately regret my decision to disembark the plane at Glasgow clad in my much-adored t-shirt and flip flop ensemble?! 2) How will I return to the normality of final year university and all its delights after the most amazing summer of my life? As for the first, I’ll say a quick prayer to the weather Gods of Glasgow and hope for the best! But as for the second and more harrowing question, I feel the only answer is to begin to define the mosaic of challenges, achievements, highs and lows of my internship experience. Let me begin by ear-marking my key achievements from my time at Wood group PSN: (i) Extensive knowledge of the oil and gas industry. (ii) Ability to understand technical industry jargon and, as a natural consequence, contribute knowledgably to senior level discussions. (iii) Ability to effectively communicate and share ideas with senior members of an organization. (iv) Developed excellent research skills; can filter through large quantities of information and pinpoint criticalities. (v) Delivered a high quality project on the North American Shale Revolution, under time pressure, to WG PSN’s Director of Americas, Derek Blackwood. Feedback received from the board was extremely positive. (vi) Proficiency in innovative presentation software, Prezi, and Excel. Secondly, let me outline my key learning points: (i) Effective communication is vital to each and every organization. (ii) Team working demands elements of both ‘give and take’- be flexible, be prepared to compromise if it benefits overall team performance and never forget to voice your ideas and be heard. (iii) Say ‘yes’ to everything and seize every opportunity; you never know what it may lead you to. (iv) It’s OK to make mistakes; if you’re not making any, you’re not trying hard enough. (v) Networking is a key business skill-keep your links alive! (vi) Cross cultural awareness and how it affects business norms and practices (even in Western countries!) I am also very fortunate to have spent a lot of time with our Global Scot and WG PSN Director, Derek Blackwood. Listening to him talk about his own career path and road to success he made all of us WG interns realize that its not always important to have a perfectly mapped out career path with precise lines of longitude and latitude; rather what is important is to have the right attitude and the ambition that will ensure that you get there. On a personal note, I’ve also learnt a lot about myself this summer and have set myself goals for the next 10-12 months: (i) To have a successful final year at university, using my experiences at WG PSN as source material for my dissertation. (ii) To apply for graduate schemes in large multinational organizations and to seriously consider my career options in the oil and gas industry. On a social note, I have met a fantastic group of people with whom I have shared terrific memories! We have embarked on remarkable road-trips, lived and breathed American culture and despite the intermittent “Big Brother” feel of living in the same apartment complex and working together for 11 weeks, we have all come out on the better side, with our pride and sense of humor still intact (…just!). A special vote of thanks must be given to the Saltire Foundation, without whom none of this would have been possible. Over the past 11 weeks I have developed both professionally and socially. I return back to Scotland with a new found level of confidence and the self-belief that I, as much as anyone, have the right mix of skills and ambition to become a potential leader of Scotland. I am excited to play a full role in supporting the vision of the Saltire Foundation and harnessing Scotland’s young talent. I hereby pledge myself (in writing!) to full involvement in Saltire’s fundraising and programme events over the coming year. And finally, to all the other Saltire 2012 scholars: Congratulations; WE DID IT! !!! We are all about to embark on the most exciting year of our life to date-who knows where we’ll end up this time next year?! Good luck to everyone, -Kirsten