Undergraduates

Company Culture: Life at GSK

Jessica Snyder — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:54:00 GMT

Before I delve into the outcomes of this past week, I want to touch on a few general observations of GSK: Worthing Primary Operations’ work environment.

People here work really hard. I have put in overtime almost everyday thus far. And there are plenty of people who arrive before and leave after me. When I look in people’s diaries, often, almost every minute of their day is booked. Even so, many of these same people still take time out to help with my project. It can be difficult to get in touch with people here, which makes completing my project more of a challenge. But, I try to keep in mind that many people at GSK have little time to give. I am really happy to work in a company where people go out of their way for me.

People here are respectful. None of the managers treat me like a second class member of staff given my intern status. Many greet me in the morning. During meetings, people consider my opinions and insights. No one speaks down to me. Other members of staff are treated with dignity regardless of position as well. This behaviour epitomises the strong culture within GSK that empowers members of staff to excel in their respective roles. I am not surprised that many people spend their entire careers here!

Ultimately, this work environment empowered me to follow through with the goals set last week. Writing my Project Scope Statement set the ground floor for a discussion about a variety of issues such as acquiring a Community Site versus a Topic Site and minimizing the resources necessary for website maintenance. Meeting with Wes three times allowed me to ask important questions revolving around issues such as my request for a Community Site. And, I took more initiative by independently writing a survey to gain feedback about the current Worthing internal website and suggestions for a Worthing Primary internal website.

I still have quite a few challenges ahead though! I’ll give you an overview.

· Acquiring a Community Site. All the paperwork has made its way to Global Communications. However, my contact there informed me that GC is trying to cut down on the number of Community Sites and instead offer Topic Sites. Our issue with a Topic Site centres on Worthing Primary sitting under a Worthing website. One of the main deliverables of my project involves producing an identity for Worthing Primary within the broader GSK network. Combining both GMS Sites onto one Community Site marginalizes Worthing Primary’s identity as a separate entity from Worthing Secondary and, thus, clashes with a key deliverable. I hope to convince GC to give Worthing Primary a Community Site. Alternatively, I may need to think outside the box to produce this deliverable.

· Increasing survey responses. Not enough people are taking my survey. I am not surprised, but I need to find a way to change this.

· Contacting people. Everyone gets bombarded with so many emails here. As such, many sent never receive a response. My project requires a significant amount of communication with people on site. I have to find new ways to reach people in a timely manner.

· Minimizing resource necessities. Worthing Primary does not have a separate Communications Manager from Secondary. The Campus Communications Manager will have a very limited amount of time to maintain the Worthing Primary internal website. As such, I need to create an internal website that can easily be maintained with stretched resources.

Enough about work! I’m going to focus on life in Brighton/ Hove next week. Also, I just want to thank my housemate Becky (another Saltire Scholar) for letting me use her computer these past few weeks. My MacBook died. And, I will not get a new one for awhile. She has been a life saver!

Blog #2: "Everything is bigger in Texas"

Leanne Keil — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:33:00 GMT

A Warm Welcome to TAESL

The first week at Texas Aero Engine Services LLC (TAESL) is over and it is safe to say I am having an excellent time here in Texas. The saltire interns received a lovely, warm welcome from all of the staff at TAESL and calmed any first day nerves. On our first day, we made introductions with all of the TAESL employees, as well as some Rolls Royce employees (one of the parent company’s). The interns then received an insightful presentation regarding what the business is about and their operations. This was then followed up by a tour of the shop floor – which is a sizeable half a million sq. ft – where all the engines are repaired, maintained and overhauled. TAESL is one of the largest overhaul centres in North America, if not the world and I was certainly taken aback by the company’s capabilities. I can safely say I had no idea as to the work that is put into the engines and the cost of parts used. My jaw dropped when I found out that one single blade on an engine costs $35,000! TAESL operates on two engines; the RB211 and the Trent 800 – used widely on aircrafts. Throughout the week, I had the opportunity to attend a number of meetings which were all very interesting to be involved in. One area that particularly captivated my attention was the Disaster Recovery meetings held with an employee from insurance brokerage firm and several members of the senior team. The disaster recovery meetings aimed to identify any risks within the company and also looked at ways as to how they could mitigate these risks which could then consequentially result in a lower cost for insurance. I also had the chance to attend a meeting with the accounting department which looked at the 8^th Working Day Close Process which essentially looks at the monthly accounts and enables the team/management to highlight any areas of progress/concern. These areas were often identified through the use of variance analysis which is a useful measuring tool in accounting. The Saltire interns also had to undertake crane training and Foreign Object Damage as they are essential when working in the midst of a maintenance and overhaul entity which was very fascinating.

As part of my internship, I have been fortunate enough to be working under Lance Linguist, CFO/VP of Finance at TAESL who has been extremely helpful and has given me the chance to work on some exciting projects. My first project so far has arisen from the fact that American Airlines have become bankrupt and have as a result merged with US Airways – a very exciting time to be working in the aviation industry. The project consisted of producing an alternate costing/billing system for services used frequently in the company’s operations, which consume various utilities such as steam, compressed air and chilled water. These figures are then being discussed with potential business “partners” and are being used to negotiate prices. This is extremely important for TAESL as it may affect the costing/running of their operations. As Lance has stated, “numbers tell stories and finance people are essentially story-tellers”; and in this case, numbers are being used to present a point. I felt very privileged to have been assigned a project as significant as this. I have also had the pleasure of meeting the CEO of TAESL and Global Scot Douglas Cribbes alongside the other saltire interns. We were also joined by an American Airlines attorney Melissa and legal intern Hayley which enabled us to enquire more about the operations at American Airlines. It is a very interesting concept working in a joint venture such as TAESL as you also get to see the scope of work undertaken by both parents, Rolls Royce and American Airlines as well. It is extremely complex operations as not only are both company’s parents of the business, they are also industry rivals, and are both high-importance customers to TAESL.

“Everything is Bigger in Texas”

Despite all my friend’s worries of my “ginger skin” burning to a crisp in the 100⁰F heat – I can happily say that I have survived the heat and haven’t burnt yet!.. yet. The interns have slowly adjusted to the Texan heat and the difference in time zone with ease. We arrived on Saturday evening and spent the night at a local Mexican restaurant. Sunday saw us interns at the true cowboy area of Fort Worth, in the historic Stockyards. The Stockyards was bustling with Texans driving pick-ups, busy saloons and cattle drives down the main street. An interesting sight to see. The US enjoys an “eating-out” culture and the portions are MASSIVE, to say the least. I have not finished one meal yet due to the sheer size and everyone’s response has been “well you know what they say, everything is bigger in texas”! A phrase to remember. The TAESL team have been extremely helpful in guiding us on things to do, see and where to eat. On Thursday, we decided to head along to a rock music concert named “Rockin’ the River” which was located on the Trinity river and saw many people sitting on rubber rings (or known as “tubes” in the US) drinking beer, enjoying the sun and listening to great music. One of the coolest gigs I have been to, it was a great atmosphere. Rachel and I also went to the salon with Amber and Kim from TAESL where we all spent an evening after work together pampering ourselves with pedicures. Our first “proper” weekend in Fort Worth could only begin with bull-riding and rodeo at Cowtown Coliseum and the infamous Billy Bob’s – where we also played pool and watched a country band called Reckless Kelly which was great fun. The saltire team also took a drive to Lake Grapevine where we went kayaking, swimming and enjoyed the Texan sun. The TAESL interns have also been getting in the swing of american culture by watching the basketball play-offs and listening to country music, true southern american style! My time so far in Texas has been extremely exciting and very busy! I am having a great time so far, as can be seen by the length of this blog!

Thanks for taking the time to read this!

Leanne

A Plan of 'Genius' is Hatched

Nicolette Ester — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:54:00 GMT

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After my first week at Genius Foods Ltd in Edinburgh I can honestly say I feel well and truly immersed into the business world and life in the Scottish capital.

Genius Foods is a young company, beginning less than 5 years ago, but what is extremely clear is the incredible progression of the business within this time. Although only an office of 25 in Edinburgh the team work tirelessly to promote the brand, formulate new product development and aim to perfect what is already in production. The commitment and energy behind the company is what truly struck me on my first day, and with every day that I work at the company I feel that energy rubbing off on me and my work.

Day One

On my first day as I was introduced to Karen and Eilidh who I will be working with, as well as countless others, creating and perfecting the company’s category strategy for 2014 over the 8 weeks. The whole team was extremely welcoming as soon as I arrived, any worries and concerns I had were well and truly left at the door.

What I found extremely helpful was Karen’s ability on my first day to outline what my tasks would be over the course of my internship. The work itself is extremely structured with clear steps that need to be taken in order to collect data and research, formulate results and then from these results create a supported and articulate proposal for the board which can then be explained to various retailers.

Although this type of work may appear a million miles from my degree in theology and biblical studies, I could immediately see similarities between the project and a biblical exegesis (an assessment of a specific word within a text), both involve a specific structure and extensive amounts of research in order to form a conclusion that is supported by valid well analysed evidence.

Action shot of Founder Lucinda and non-executive chairperson Bill throwing Genius Bread around for a photoshoot in the office on my first day (Lucinda assures me this is not what takes place on the 'average' day in the Genius office!).

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The Days That Followed

My research for the project started immediately, I always believe that the best way to learn is just by getting stuck in, and although I may have been slow at first, I appreciated being able to start straight away.

Karen was quick to introduce me to the Free From range and took me into local supermarkets to look at what was already available to consumers in the category. From that point I was already considering what was lacking in the range in general and it was made clear that Genius products, particularly their bread, stood out on the shelves for its superb quality, setting itself as the clear leaders of the category.

It was seeing these examples of the category that made me determined to commit myself to assisting the company in keeping this lead in the market, ensuring a new product range was created that would not only encourage the company’s current consumers but also encourage new consumers to buy Genius products.

An extremely fun and exciting part of being involved in the business is learning about all the company’s future plans and projects – But that information, I am afraid, is extremely secretive, who knows Warburton’s researchers could be reading this blog right now trying to gain insight into Genius’s next big plans!

Now

So a week later my first research task, an extensive gap analysis, seems to be drawing to a close and I am now in the process of calculating the results! I feel extremely proud of what I have produced so far and I am currently learning a lot about Microsoft Excel which I know will be extremely important in any future career.

I have also been given the task of speaking to a company about commissioning them to complete a piece of research for us, which will assist a great deal in providing consumer insight. It feels brilliant to be able to be personally given the job of bargaining with the company to get the lowest possible price for research worth thousands and thousands of pounds!

Review

A few key things I have learnt this week:

1) What precisely a category strategy is and the process that must be carried out to form this.

2) Communicating with ALL areas of the business is crucial to success – In 8 weeks our ideas will be presented to the whole company, it is important they are behind you every step of the way.

3) Understanding precisely what the consumer wants is vital - Who precisely is your product aimed at and how can you gain the insight of what is wanted.

4) EAT CAKE – In the Genius office, if in doubt eat cake. It seems a good philosophy to me (but at the same time maintain a healthy lifestyle, preferably by eating Genius products).

A Week Down in The Lone Star State

Morven Logan — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:40:00 GMT

As I sit here in my spacious office overlooking greenery, provided by Houston’s abundance of trees, the odd rather dated looking office building and a solitary American flag flying in the distance it is difficult to comprehend where the past eleven days have gone. Eleven days? I really should have blogged before now then! However, as I tell you of the past week’s activities I’m sure you can understand how one may allow communications to laps... By the way, here's a picture of my office- you can see the flag on far right-hand side.

My first weekend spent in Houston mainly involved settling in and exploring the surrounding area of Humble, where I am living. It is somewhat out of the ‘city center’ however, I’m dubious as to whether this vast place even has a true city center. Certainly, not like those we have in Europe. Without boring you with the details of my acclimatization I do wish to share a couple of key points; firstly, the people, wow! These guys are FRIENDLY! And I’m not talking smiles and a brief, ‘Hello, how you doing?’ Oh no! I wasn’t even off the plane and two different people had offered their hospitality if I ever visit San Antonio, the butcher in the local Kroger (supermarket) insisted that if I run into any trouble whilst I’m here I should come and look for him and I’ve lost count of the simple acts of kindness I’ve received in such a short space of time. I’m so appreciative of it too, it’s amazing how simple things can really brighten up your day. Secondly, there are hardly any pavements. Before I came out here a lot of people told me of how you drive everywhere. I didn’t realize they meant EVERYWHERE. Looking at this in a positive light, it will give me plenty of opportunity to practice my slightly rusty driving skills!

June 10th was my first day at Flexpipe Systems. Meeting my new colleagues was really great and in-line with what I have experienced in Texas thus far everyone was so welcoming. There are quite a lot of new employees there too., so it’s all the more comforting to know you are not the only one whole can’t figure out the phone system or how to work the copier! Having gone through introductions over an informal lunch I spent most of my first day reading the technical information regarding the company’s offerings and refreshing my knowledge of what’s going on in the oil and gas industry at the moment. I’m going on a site visit this week so perhaps I’ll write a blog post focused on the business and its activity. On Monday evening I had the opportunity to spend some time with not only my Houston based colleagues, but also those located elsewhere in North America. This was in light of a team building event at the driving range. And when I say driving range I mean a three story electronically tagged driving range experience. Well, they do say ‘Everything’s bigger in Texas!’ Despite my horrendous golf skills the evening was tons of fun and a great icebreaker.

Flexpipe personnel out with Houston were in town because a three day strategy assessment. This involved people from all departments brainstorming ideas which would eventually result in different actions for different sectors of the business. It was fantastic opportunity to get such a detailed insight to the company at such an early stage in my internship! Also, I have certainly taken away some tips, should I ever have to facilitate a meeting in the future- it’s amazing what can be done by laying out some simple ground rules, taking regular coffee breaks and of course, working with a group of insightful individuals.

In terms of out of office activities last week I don’t this I had a night free… Between picking up my hire car, going to a designer outlet with some girls from work (two pairs of Vans for $30, yes please!) and work socials the time flew in. I also had a jam packed weekend which I want to tell y’all (yes, I just said that) about, however I’m conscious this post is getting long so I’ll fill you in on the fun stuff over the next couple of days together with what I’m up to at work this week. Hope your week has been as enjoyable as mine and thank you for reading. I'll leave you with just one of the perks of Houston life... getting to work by the pool in the scorching sun and not a midge in sight!

Time flies when you're.....

Claire Stilwell — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:58:00 GMT

Okay so I know that I am not used to the blogging and I haven't written a post since day 1 - which seems like only yesterday but then this new routine also feels so normal....so what has happened in the past 2 weeks. My project is really interesting, I am working with the Biopharms team at GSK Ulverston as it was announced in March 2012 that a new factory was to be built in Ulverston and my 'project' during my Saltire Internship is to research how GSK can reach students of life sciences to the site. This really is a fantastic project for me and an area of which I am finding really interesting, so much so that I am happy to do work in the evenings. My 1st week was spent doing a lot of research regarding universities in the UK and getting to grips with my project. Week 2 was very different, I had many meetings scheduled and then was asked to attend a conference being held by Newcastle University for the EngD Post-Grad students - I was initially terrified as had no idea what to expect! However we arrived in Newcastle to only be told the conference was being held at St James' Park - for those like myself who don't 'do' football - this is where Newcastle FC play....it was really fantastic and an amazing experience to meet so many great students who were at all stages of their Post-Grad studies and to meet many people from similar industries. I know it is called work but being out of the office for 2 days, spending the night at a great hotel and being taken out for a great meal it is really hard to think of as work..

I really enjoyed the experience and it was a great opportunity to meet so many people and talk about the Saltire Foundation and GSK....

Here comes week 3 - this is starting to terrify me as I am now a third of the way through my internship and the heat is on....

Eilidh has set us all a challenge and I am happy to report that today I had a great chat with Jessica - a fellow saltire intern and also with GSK (Worthing) it was great to speak with someone else on another site who is also getting along well.

Something a wise person recently told me (you know who you are) is to start thinking about 'who am I?' this has been a great piece of advice and something I am really starting to work on as for many years I have put others first and this is an opportunity to think about myself and who I am and what I want...I can honestly say that I do not need to always introduce myself as 'Claire a mature student, married with 2 kids' now I need to be more positive and say, ' Hi I am Claire a Saltire Intern working with GSK as part of the Biopharms team' this is far more positive and exactly who I am. I do not need to be defined by others but need to start defining myself by my own achievements and yes being a Saltire Intern is a huge achievement and one that I am really enjoying and really proud of. I am looking forward to being able to return to university and say to the 3rd years that this is an opportunity for anyone and take every opportunity you can. Every day I am learning from others about so much and am having a once in a lifetime experience...a bit philosophical but it is really true that when you start the Saltire journey you don't really know what to expect but it can really open your eyes to so much.

Tomorrow is another day and the Saltire and the GSK summer interns are undertaking Operational Excellence training - no idea what to expect but have been told it is a lot of fun and to wear casual...fingers crossed and watch this space :-)

Wonderful Weekends and Future Goals

Annie Fenton — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:21:00 GMT

Having had a weekend of sun-filled touristic galore; it feels as though I have just been on a two day summer holiday. The weekend began with a trip to the cinema to see the new film 'The Man of Steel'. Following my flat mate Ben to the theatre and having never heard of the movie before, I did not realise (until about half way through) that it was a Superman film and therefore, a pretty big deal in most people's books. Overcoming my silliness, the movie turned out to be pretty great. It was also nice to do something 'normal', following a week of many new experiences and much excitement. I will definitely remember next time however, that the cinema in Singapore is incredibly cold in comparison to the sweltering temperatures outside. My choice of shorts and a vest were quite inadequate; the carting of blankets, jumpers and jeans will be entirely necessary if I make another trip there!

After a much-needed early night on Friday, Ben and I were ready for a weekend of sight seeing in the blistering Singaporean heat. We had an amazing brunch at the famous Tiong Bahru bakery and then headed for the MRT station for an afternoon at Orchard Road. Standing on the platform and waiting for the approaching train, I looked down to discover that Ben had his shoes on the wrong feet! Attempting to stifle my giggles and trying to work out how he could have walked around for such a long time - without suffering from a great deal of discomfort or anyone noticing - the problem was soon resolved and we were back on the right track. Thankfully, with both of our shoes on the correct feet!

Me eating the 'Ice Cream Sandwich'...

Amongst the grand shops and fancy restaurants that we discovered on Orchard Road, an interesting find was definitely the Singaporean 'Ice Cream Sandwich'. It is served exactly as it sounds: a slab of ice cream squashed inside a (flamboyantly colourful) slice of bread. While the combination of ice cream and bread may sound unusual, the outcome is surprisingly wonderful. To our astonishment, Ben and I even had a craving for one on Sunday afternoon! The cooling snack does seem like the appropriate Singaporean counterpart to the traditional, very British 'chip butty'. After much walking and a very long, hot day we spent Saturday evening watching the sun go down behind the amazing skyline at Marina Bay; drinking the famous Singapore Sling; and standing in awe as we watched the light show next to Marina Bay Sands.

Ben and I enjoying a refreshing Singapore Sling!

Waking up on Sunday morning to find another gloriously sunny day, it seemed like the perfect time to make a trip to the Singapore Botanical gardens. It is a UNESCO heritage site and therefore much bigger and more impressive than many of the smaller, 20-minute-trip gardens that I've been to in the past. Ben and I decided to visit half of the gardens on Sunday and the other half in a couple of weeks time - there was so much to see, that it would have been a shame to rush our time there. Wandering through the rainforest area, we were even lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a massive iguana scavenging for its dinner amongst the trees!

During my time in Singapore, I'll obviously be making the most of these new and exciting touristic sights and adventures; visiting new places each evening and weekend. I'll also be trying to discover a more local side of Singapore, submerging myself into the vast array of cultures and communities. Alongside these exciting explorations, however, I also hold some longer-term goals with the hope of making the very most of this experience. I hope to gain life-long skills that I can bring back to Scotland with a bid to development in the future.

Since working at an American girls' summer camp a couple of summers ago, I have been using their moto 'PACE' standing for 'Positive Attitude Changes Everything'. This outlook can be used in truly terrible situations; changing a drastic catastrophe into something rather amusing and incredibly fun; or even be used reflectively in order to gain valuable life experiences. Just as I took this priceless value from camp some years ago - a value that I have shared with a long list of friends, family and the fortunate random persons whom I bump into along my travels - I hope to take from Barclays and of course Saltire, some of their knowledge and inspirational vigor.

Barclays has recently created a new set of values with the purpose of helping people achieve their ambitions - in the right way - through the use of respect, integrity, service, excellence and stewardship. It has been said that for these values to have true meaning, employees need to "live and breathe them". I hope that by engraining at least some of these values into my everyday life; pushing myself in every situation; stepping outside of my comfort zone; and saying 'Yes!' to everything, my confidence will flourish and ability to deal with new, pressurised situations will grow.

As I have done with PACE, I will use these positive values again and again; continuously developing my skills while preparing for my final year at university and future career.

Time flies in Geneva

Kirsten Weir — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:28:00 GMT

I haven’t yet completed my second week but I feel well and truly settled in. I love Geneva, firstly, in true British style, I must mention the weather – last night at 6pm I went for a run in 27 degrees heat. Walking to work, I start melting from the moment I step out of my door but I’m not complaining, the sunshine is amazing. Apparently, the heat builds up – it’s meant to be 35 degrees tomorrow and then breaks with a massive thunder storm and rain (Thursday apparently). As long as it is sunny for the weekends, I don’t mind a bit of rain!

Regarding my work, I have completed my mandatory training and some additional modules which has enabled me to build on my basic knowledge of the banking industry and given me a bit more confidence regarding my ability to be successful in the internship. I am also in the process of being given another project which I hope will enable me to contribute something meaningful to Barclays over the summer.

In terms of what I see success is at the end of the 8 weeks, before I started, I would have said, ‘a graduate job offer’. However, I now believe that having a greater idea of my abilities, strengths and weaknesses will be far more valuable in choosing a career path when I graduate. I didn’t expect to enjoy living abroad so much, I thought I’d miss my home comforts a lot more (although I do miss my dogs and a decent cup of tea) but the lack of ‘homesickness’ means I won't dismiss venturing further afield when I graduate.

If I’m going to be completely honest (can’t help it), I am happier when I can stamp a bit of my personality on a project and interpret issues in my own way. I don’t know how easily a large corporation allows that to happen. I personally don’t think a large corporation wants it to happen and that is part of the reason why there is so much bureaucracy in place to prevent people going off on tangents. This initial perception may change and I’ll happily eat my words if I find out that Barclays is more flexible then initially thought.

I survived my first weekend in Geneva, I thought that the weekends wouldn’t be as fun because I don’t have any other interns to explore with and my own company gets a bit boring after a while. However, I went along to a football pitch on Saturday morning and played football with people from all over the world in the blazing heat. I met a few girls who invited me to the annual beach party down by Lake Geneva. The party was great, 2000 people attended and the setting on the shores of Lake Geneva were surreal. Scotland should take note in terms of alcohol pricing – there is no chance of anyone drinking excessively when the drinks start at 15 CHF (£10ish)!

I hadn’t used Skype before I came to Geneva but have used it frequently while being here and it has proved invaluable. I’m missing my younger sisters’ 18^th and my elder sisters’ graduation (Happy Birthday/Congrats!) but it doesn’t seem so bad when I can still chat to them/see them. At the request of a few family members, I have kept this blog brief, I tried to edit it down but I have too much to say!

Hee'land coos and getting drookit...must be the Itasca Highland Games!

Rhona Middler — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:23:00 GMT

It has been a busy few days in Chi-Town!

This weekend was the Highland Games, of which CHICAGO SCOTS have been working feverishly on for the entire year (and the planning for next year has already started). Its a huge event in Itasca just outside of Chicago and was expected to be enjoyed by around 15,000 people from the Chicagoland area.

I left the city Friday morning and only returned Sunday evening and as always I had way too much fun!

Friday is the quieter of the two day festival and the weather was gorgeous Friday (although everyone thought it was a little chilly - not to me!). I worked in the CHICAGO SCOTS tent selling raffle tickets on the Friday evening and sampled some of the food and..ehem..drink.
Ate this delicious Guinness soaked pork sandwich (and went back for 2 more) - best thing I've ever eaten. Need to work out a way to get those to Glasgow, seriously!

The Friday was all about the food vendors and there was music in the evening, but was more like a warm up before the real crowds on the all day Saturday affair..although I met some amazing people and there was still some interesting sights to be had! Nessie did attend the Friday night festivities with a date...

The next morning we all awoke to rain! I of course got the blame of 'You've certainly brought the Scottish weather with you'. I retorted with 'Well it is supposed to be an authentic Scottish festival'... Chicago has often been trying its best to make me feel at home with the rain! Although I had my trusty..and very fetching might I add..Scottish flag poncho donated by Kristen to protect me from the worst of it!

However after a few hours of pelting it down and us all getting drookit the skies cleared and the sun made an appearance and the day got into full swing. I took the opportunity to talk to vendors that CHICAGO SCOTS members might be interested in getting discounts for, as my project this summer is to get as many benefits for members of the society as I can to retain current members and make the society more beneficial to be a member of and also attract new members. I am pleased to announce that I've already got members a discount on kilts! What a perfect first benefit!
I was having so much fun talking to vendors and members, and a few have invited me to their Lake houses for the weekend, which I sincerely hope wasn't the Belhaven talking...!

I also drank a fair amount of Irn Bru and enjoyed what is 'gourmet' food over here...i.e fish and chips, haggis and blackpudding! NOM! I really enjoyed being the authority on all things Scottish and being asked to translate everything along with the odd spot of gaelic! Alba gu brath is about my limit mind you! So I'd be sitting minding my own business and I'd be hollered over to the sound of 'Rhona!! WE NEED A TRANSLATOR!'.
Along with being asked to talk 'Scottish', as I'm the only Saltire here I've certainly had to tone down my accent - case in point when ordering a Subway on my way home from work I nearly incited mass panic when I said tomato TOM-A-TO instead of tom-aet-o... so being asked to talk Glaswegian slang was a rare treat!
Heard a downright hilarious memoir of a recent trip to Glasgow by Momma Pattee (I can call her that as she looks like my own mum and I've been to a Father's Day BBQ out in the 'burbs with the family now) where a Glaswegian was telling a story for must have been half an hour in a 'thick Glasgow accent' so I hear and at the end just started roaring with laughter and they had no clue what he had been talking about the entire time and had to pretend, there was a hilarious attempt at a Glaswegian accent going on throughout this story.

A real highlight of the Highland Games...nay, my whole life, for me was feeding a Hee'land Coo!

And we'll forgive the cutie for slobbering all over me and trying to impale me with his horns, as I don't think he can really see through his fringe too well, bless him!

After all the excitement of the weekend and trying through the odd visit to the bar to get some work down and cheering on the odd caber toss and meeting anyone who's anyone in Chicagoland, I chilled out in the suburb of Paletine with the Pattee family on the Sunday, and ate delicious food, enjoyed an ice cold Corona in the 35ºC and good company - I cannot believe a week has went by already.
Though I'm certainly making the most of it! I would urge everyone to visit Chicago its a total must see - its my favourite place (after Glasgow) in the world.

I'm completely worn out after the weekend but ready for another busy week!

I'll carry on with the theme of leaving you with my favourite photo of one clan (the Grandpa is a Scot and I had a very enjoyable conversation about home with) and his adorable family, all pipers..naturally.

Super well done to the entire CHICAGO SCOTS team for year in year out pulling off such a fab event! Certainly made me feel at home and so many other Scots living in Illinois!

In at the Deep End

Benjamin Hindson — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:37:00 GMT

It’s been a week since I joined Giles Insurance Brokers, and a little longer since I posted a blog. There are countless adjectives that I could use to describe a really varied week: exciting, challenging, interesting, surprising, but I think that the best way of summing up my experience so far is that I have fully thrown myself into life in London. Upon arrival I wasted no time in going out and getting to know our little corner of the capital, Bloomsbury. I also got to meet the third Saltire scholar who will be living with me and Aneesa and we got to know each other over drinks. Aneesa and I spent the Sunday doing a ‘dress rehearsal’ for the following day’s commute, visited St Paul’s Cathedral, and took in some art at the Tate Modern. It was fantastic to be in amongst some of the most iconic landmarks of our country and I was particularly enjoying it since living in London has been one of my ambitions from a very young age. We couldn’t be more centrally placed to realize that ambition as we work round the corner from the Bank of England and live a stone’s throw from Oxford Street.

The first week working at Giles has been a whirlwind. The world of insurance has its own intricate, acronym-filled language which has taken some time to get used to. I’ve started keeping a glossary of all the terms so I can keep up in meetings! Our team has got our own project to work on over the summer and as such most of last week was spent in meetings with the COO (Chief Operating Officer) and our supervisors, Chris and Susan, coming up with our strategy to tackle the project and break it down into manageable tasks. We were also really lucky to be invited to meetings with insurers and with one of the senior members of the firm, as well as having the opportunity to ask questions and give our opinions. Since the first day I’ve had research to be doing and I have begun to compile information we will need later. Today, I made my first conference call. Lunch has been a highlight of our days as normally I go out which is fantastic as the City has so many options - tapas, hummus, amazing salads, and burgers – the list of places to eat lunch at is growing by the day!

What has really struck me is the fantastic support that we’ve had from everyone since arrival. Everyone’s door is open which makes asking questions and learning about the project so easy and rewarding! Our coworkers have made sure to give us plenty of things to do outside of the office as well to make sure we’re making the most of being here. This weekend, for example, Aneesa and I went to see Trooping the Colour. We may have stood for five hours on the side of the road but we had a thoroughly enjoyable morning topped off with standing at the front of the crowd underneath the balcony of Buckingham Palace. In the afternoon we managed to squeeze in a trip to the British Museum to avoid the rain. On the to-do list this week is a musical.

In some ways I cannot believe that it has only been a week. On the other hand, it seems like no time at all I was packing my bags and getting on the train to head south. I’m ready to take full advantage of the experience that lays before me and I have been thinking about how I am going to go about it. Firstly, I want to make sure that I give my fullest energy in everything I do this summer, whether it be in the boardroom, researching policies, or sightseeing. I want to get to know more people in the office by name and find out about what they do in the company. Getting a better idea of who’s who in the office will be a great tool when it comes to getting help with our project. Also, I want to come away from the summer knowing a lot more about the professional working world and insurance. No matter what the next seven weeks throws at me, I have to embrace it fully and give it my all.

I may have been thrown into the deep end, but there is no better way than to fully immerse yourself in anything. Last week was all about getting used to my new surroundings and this week is going to be all about getting stuck in at work and making some headway on our project. I’m sure it is going to fly by!

Projects, Picnics, and the Pit-Stop Challenge

Caitlin Reid — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:24:00 GMT

Well, that is another great week at GSK down! The time has been flying and I feel like I am finally making some significant progress on my projects. I guess I should really outline what I am doing while here in Ulverston. I have three projects 1) an Energy Mass Balance for the site, 2) Implementation of a new Recycling Scheme on site, and 3) assisting in the creation of the Staff Sustainability Course. All three guarantee to pose different challenges and I certainly am going to stay busy in the remaining weeks!

The Energy Mass Balance has me most outside of my comfort zone. So far there has been a lot of math and words I need to google. However, Chris (my manager), Mark (Control Systems Engineer), and Gordon (Electrical Technician) have been wonderful in providing me with assistance. There are two parts to the end project- a map showing the flow of energy (electricity, gas, and steam) usage through the site identifying the many different users and locating losses and an inventory of the meters on site indicating what they meter, their condition, and location. The project should help identify areas to further cut energy usage and allow for significant progress in the quest to be carbon neutral.

The Recycling Scheme is a project that came about due to the presentation I did at the end of week one. I spent the end of last week doing research into recycling projects across other businesses and industries and reading up on environmentally responsible behaviour in the workplace. Today I met with Karen who is the head of Waste Management. The meeting has left me feeling really great about the potential for the project and I am looking forward to the next few weeks. As it stands right now, the objective is to remove waste bins from offices and increase recycling areas within the canteen and main office building. The project also comes with increased information about recycling and advertising of the project.

The Staff Sustainability Course is a project which has already been started by Chris. He has asked me to contribute to the design of the staff training. The work I have done for this project so far mostly includes ideas and minimal research besides some connected with my recycling project and environmentally responsible behaviour in the workplace. However, as I look forward to the next few weeks I see a plan coming together and some of these ideas getting implemented.

Over the weekend I was lucky enough to have some company! We explored Ulverston, attended the GSK Family Fun Day, and went on lots of walks to enjoy the unexpected sunshine! The highlights of the weekend were definitely the Pit-Stop Challenge on Saturday and a Picnic in Swarthmoor Hall Gardens on Sunday. GSK Ulverston’s Family Fun Day featured a F1 racing car and a challenge to enter a team to change the tire. My team managed to get 3.03 seconds which the guys from McLaren said was a ‘very respectable’ time but we didn’t win the competition. Unfortunately, I ended up with no pictures of me changing the tire, my family will never believe I actually did it! Sunday was more of a lazy day in the sun. We spent the day strolling around Ulverston, picked up some things for a picnic, and then walked to Swarthmoor Hall and had a picnic in their gardens next to a stream. We also did a bit of exploring along the stream through some wooded areas. It was a great way to end a busy weekend!

I have realized I have gotten this far without stating my goals for the internship, so:

Learn about sustainability in action. Sure I am getting a degree in Sustainable Development but what does that mean for my future career? I would like to leave knowing I have applied my degree in a constructive way to GSK.

There is a large focus on networking in the programme and I look forward particularly to the last week at GSK House in London where I hope to work and improve my networking skills.

Ask as many questions as possible, whenever, and wherever possible. Even if I think I know an answer I like to think that someone else can always add more to my understanding. I want to challenge myself to speak up (probably not a problem for me) and ensure that I take my own learning as proactively as those who have graciously made the commitment to host us at GSK.

And last but certainly not least- have an adventure! I like to think of life being made up of adventures and my Saltire experience has certainly already proven to be one. I want to spend my time here in Ulverston exploring my career possibilities and the lake district. I hope to come across many new challenges through my various projects that test my comfort zone and provide a learning experience. I also want to make sure I leave enough time for exploring and enjoying my beautiful surroundings.

The Famous First Week

Selina-May Miller — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:59:00 GMT

As I pulled into the West Kinfauns building of the Edrington Group I realised that the last time I was here I was insanely nervous and so astounded by this magnificent building surrounded by Scottish countryside. Now, I was driving into it as an employee.

At 8.30am, I was given a tour of the building and shown around my office. I was also given a security key/pass to let me into the building in the mornings. My first day was nerve wracking, but also exciting. It’s the same with every job and when meeting new people for the first time- but now that the first week is done I definitely feel at home here in West Kinfauns. I’m currently working alongside some of the most incredibly talented men and women that I have ever met in my life- and some of the friendliest people I have ever met too!

In my first week I was able to go to The Famous Grouse Experience in Crieff, get a tour of the Experience itself and have meetings with the Innovation manager, brand manager and my main boss Katy who is the PR manager. I was also lucky enough to be involved in the Global Brand’s monthly team meeting, and got to meet everyone in my team including Glen Gribbon, the director of The Famous Grouse.

It has now been a week since I started my internship with the Edrington Group as their PR and Innovation Intern, in their Global Brand Team and although it has only been a week, I cannot believe how much I have learned. Not only about the company- but also about myself and my future!

So far I have had a few tasks to get going with, and some tasks are very exciting! Really looking forward to the next 8 weeks and now that the first week is almost over, I can safely say that this summer isn’t going to be a boring one!

I am also hugely excited to say that I will be heading to London with the company, for a couple of events in July, and I am so thrilled to be involved in them! It is not only the fact that I will be working at an event, and on an event, but also the fact that I am working with The Famous Grouse team, gaining huge amounts of experience along the way.

Being an events management student, I really enjoy getting involved in anything to do with events (or anything that will give me an excuse to buy a new folder, separators and in special cases- a new notebook!) Looking at my post-it notes around my desk, there are some great events taking place over this Summer and even better projects in which I am working on -with the main event commencing on the 10^th of August, for The Famous Grouse’s brand birthday.

Tomorrow, I will be heading to Crieff to take part in the Famous Grouse Trusadh (Truss-ach) – which means gathering. In this I will learn about the huge history of the Famous Grouse as a company and stay in Crieff for a couple of days. (Will update next week on how I get on!)

It’s still insane, and sometimes I walk into my office and I still can’t believe it! However, it is happening and I am still enthusiastic about the summer ahead. So that must be a good thing, right?

To all of the other Saltire Scholars around the world: I hope you are having an amazing time and I cannot wait to hear all of your stories when we are all back in Scotland!

Slàinte Mhath!

First week tips for any Saltire Scholars next year:

- Research: research the company again, make sure you know some of the ins and outs and research your boss and some of the people that work there, so that you feel comfortable in talking to them about what they do in the company.

- Dress well: I was told that company dress code was “office wear”, but I decided that it is much better to dress smarter than you should. Firstly, people appreciate it, and secondly it will make you feel better and more professional.

- Nerves: Try not to be too nervous, it is difficult on your first day to not be nervous, but you have to remember that you are there for a reason so there is really no need to be nervous.

- Meet new people: I have found that in my team everyone is friendly and helpful, however, instead of just talking to people within my team I have also spoken to a number of people outside of my team and I think it is a great way to make friends.

- Ask questions: don’t just sit at your desk worrying or frantically trying to Google something (I was there this time last week!) If you are worried or stuck with anything… People want to help, you aren’t a burden on anyone. I learned very quickly with my internship that I will need to ask for help sometimes. But it isn’t an issue

Meeting with management and the No.1

Ben Rutter — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:44:00 GMT

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It has been another tiring, albeit exciting, week here in Singapore. I have delved further into my internship with GlaxoSmithKline. In my last blog I left you all with an update of my first week and now as I write this blog entry I have completed one quarter of my time out in this amazing country. Time really is flying now.

I can say that although the heat and humidity is becoming much more bearable the 5.15 alarms of a morning are not. Each day I wake at 5.15, shower, breakfast and leave for the 6.36 bus that takes me directly to work. I shall never adjust to these extremely early mornings.

I shall first talk about my working week and then I will go into my time outside of GSK and what I have been getting up to.

I went to bed not long after publishing my last blog last Sunday evening and before I knew it the dreaded 5.15 alarm was blasting away. It was to be the start of my second week. It would be extremely long winded of me to describe each working day in the last week and so I shall share with you all the highlights and main points.

I would most definitely say that the highlight of my week was my meeting with the No.1 in GSK in Singapore. Being through the Saltire Foundation and it being his decision to fund my placement he has actively taken an interest in my time here. Suffice to say that the other interns interning from Singapore were extremely jealous when I told them I had a meeting with Hock Heng. The meeting was just short of 30 minutes long and in it we discussed my hopes for the remainder of my time in GSK. He also put a big emphasis on me embracing the culture here, which of course I am actively doing already. A meeting has already been scheduled for my last week so we can go over what I have achieved in my 8-week stint. Being the No.1 I was of course extremely nervous to meet with him one to one but as soon as we began talking I realised he was just like you or me.

It was a week for meeting high level staff as following on from my meeting with Hock Heng I had a meeting the director of safety at the plant. Here I was given an additional project to run alongside my one already and it fits in very well. I am to look at the operator training and identify areas that need improving or even adding. This will culminate in me giving a presentation at the directors meeting on 16^th July on my findings of what I have found out and where I think the emphasis needs to be on the health and safety classes given next year. Needless to say this will be extremely scary but beneficial at the same time. High profile stakeholders!

As the week came to a close on Friday afternoon I had scheduled a call with Eilidh, a previous scholar here in Singapore, and the person who made all of the amazing GSK placements possible. A 30-minute informal chat going over my hopes for the internship and how I was settling in was extremely welcome. Hearing more about the final week at GSK house in London has made me even more excited for my return; most of all to meet the other interns and Eilidh. Eilidh was also extremely helpful and had tonnes of advice that I shall most definitely take on board for the remainder of my time here.

As I am writing this it is already the end of my 3^rd Monday at work and to prevent the length of this blog exceeding beyond bearable I shall fill you all in about my weekend in the next blog at the end of this week.

I shall conclude this blog post however on a more meaningful note. Although being 3 weeks in already it is never too late for me to set out what success this summer looks like for me. I have thought long and hard about it and in fairness it is quite simple. For me success this summer will be to have spent 2 months embracing a completely new culture whilst improving my business awareness as well as other invaluable skills that I shall need throughout my life beyond this amazing opportunity.

If I had to make a list of a few goals that I want to work towards this summer they would be;

· Increasing my confidence when it comes to putting ideas forward and having conviction in all that I do especially when sometimes a risk must be taken.

· Making myself move out of my comfort zone more often and embracing change rather than sticking safely to what I already know.

· Ensuring that I achieve a healthy work-life balance in that as well as enjoying my work I also want to spend time with the already amazing friends I have made.

The most important one for me though has to be making the most of the remaining time I have left in Singapore and with GSK. The time (as it already has) shall pass far too quickly and before I know it this amazing opportunity will be over.

That concludes yet another blog and I shall write another at the end of this week.

Week 1 - Six Sigma & Southern Culture

Scott Duncan — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 03:28:00 GMT

Well it's hard to believe, but I am now at the end of my first week at TAESL! We've been informed that this is apparently the week summer has really started in Texas, with temperatures breaking the 100 degrees barrier yesterday (farenheit of course, I'm yet to work out the conversion rate to celsius). We are gradually acclimatising, although given that it is in comparison to Scotland I think it may take a bit of getting used to. We arrived on Saturday evening, and after heading out for a Mexican dinner, the travelling fatigue quickly caught up with us. On our first day in Fort Worth we visited the historic Stockyards district – a famous area of the city that embodies Fort Worth’s history and tradition as a cattle-driving town inhabited by cowboys – “Where the West begins…” (I think it was a former mayor of Fort Worth who coined the term).

My first week at the company has offered a fantastic initial insight in to how an effective business unit like TAESL operates, and how its different functions integrate. On the first day we had a tour of the facility, and the very impressive shopfloor where all of the MRO (maintenance, repair, overhaul) processes take place. I had never really considered how immensely complex these engines are, for someone with no engineering background I think it could take a week or two to become familiar with all of the acronyms and modules. The highlight of the shopfloor has to be the test cell, where the engines are subjected to rigorous testing that pushes them further than they will ever have to work in a real life environment – it is capable of generating about 120,000 pounds of thrust and costs $60 million to install, certainly no small feat of engineering… Also on our first day, we sat in on a disaster recovery planning meeting between some of the company’s department managers (customer business, service engineering, industrial engineering etc) and a representative from their insurance broker – this was effectively contingency scenario planning (which the company undergoes to negotiate a better insurance deal) which offered a good chance to enquire about different threats that areas of the business may face.

Mohammed Khan, the vice-president whom I am working under, has been on a business trip in San Diego this week, so I am yet to find out what he has planned for me. I’m looking forward to meeting him next week to get an idea of what he is expecting from me, and the projects I shall be working on during my time at TAESL. My main focus for week 1 has been working with one of my colleagues in the Business Improvement department on the initial stages of implementing the 5S process for business improvement at TAESL, which is a cornerstone of Rolls-Royce’s corporate mission (the 5 S’s stand for Sort, Straighten, Sweep, Standardise and Sustain). The context in which this is occurring, as well as some of the issues the business faces in implementing the process are very interesting.

TAESL’s two main engines that they work on are the RB211 and Trent800 models, used on American Airlines’ fleets, as well as those of many other major airlines. What is driving the need for 5S is the need to compete for new contracts as one of the primary products, the RB211, is gradually phased out of use in the civil aviation industry. As TAESL looks to compete to bring in new engine types to their shopfloor, there is a fundamental requirement to be able to show A) that they are operating in a more efficient and productive manner than their competition, and B) that they have the physical space and resources to bring in a new engine type to the facility. This is where the need for 5S comes in, the 5 pillars of this process are focused on producing an orderly and efficient working environment that TAESL is striving to achieve (and sustain) for the future competitiveness of the business. This week, I have been sitting in on the briefings to the leadership team and mechanics where 5S has been introduced, along with its prospective requirements and implications for the staff on the shopfloor. I have also been looking at the weekly and monthly audits/reviews for the process, which are to be carried out by different levels of management to make this a sustained effort. TAESL have implemented this process before, which is where our greatest challenge lies – since the staff have seen this process come and go before, they are perhaps sceptical about its sustainability and commitment from other areas of the company, an issue we have particularly tried to focus on in the briefings. My colleague Doug, whom I have been working with on this, has suggested that he would like me to lead one of these presentations at some point soon, which is a challenge I am very excited for. All in all, a very interesting and enjoyable first week!

Over the last few days, having adjusted to the time difference, we have made use of our time off to get a great experience of some of the southern culture on offer! After work on Thursday, the 4 of us went to a concert called ‘Rockin’ the River’ on Trinity river, in downtown Fort Worth. There was a band playing on a stage upon the banks of the river, whilst people sat on tubes in the river to watch – I had never seen anything like it! There was some great country music, and seeing people floating around in rafts with their dogs and crates of beer was a sight to behold. Over the weekend, we also went to the championship bull rodeo at the Cowtown Coliseum in the Stockyards district, saw a country band at Billy Bob’s Texas, checked out a waterpark, and went kayaking on grapevine lake today. Safe to say that after all that I am absolutely shattered and in need of some good sleep before work again tomorrow! I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed reflecting on a fantastic first week in Texas. Thanks

One week done!

Murdo Connochie — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 23:08:00 GMT

I'm excited to start my second week. The initial project I've been given is going well, it's perfectly suited to me, and everyone in the office is really nice. Our department works with some PwC consultants who finish up soon.

I think I've found my lunch place, Boloco, and I've signed up to their loyalty scheme to hopefully bag myself a free burrito.

The other interns and I have been exploring again this weekend. I'm not quite used to all this walking but it gives me an excuse to eat the biggest burgers. We joined in with the Bunker Hill parade celebrations today. It was weird to see some Glasgow Celtic tops and kilts being paraded in amongst the US military uniforms. We've been making good use of our CharlieCards throughout the week to see as much as possible.

First Week in New York

Claire McEvinney — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 21:20:00 GMT

I was so desperate to get my Edrington internship at the time of applying for it. After all, who wouldn’t want to work on Fifth Avenue in New York City for a quirky rum brand? I have to admit, however, that in the run up to my 8 week placement, I didn’t feel very excited at all. In fact, what I did feel was a sense of dread as a seemingly unending list of tasks loomed ahead of me.
At this time, two weeks ago, I was still living in Salamanca in Spain and faced visa applications, a trip to the American embassy in Madrid, studying, five exams, moving my exam dates to allow me to leave Spain in time to start the internship, teaching English lessons, packing, completing work for the marketing company I was working at, booking flights home and saying my goodbyes to everyone, before a short four day stay in Glasgow to say hello – and goodbye – to my family before starting the packing process again and setting off to the U.S. to begin my Saltire internship.
Finally, the day of my flight to the U.S. arrived and, amazingly I still didn’t feel much excitement, just a huge (irrational) fear that I would forget a vital document and be refused entry to the U.S. However, after checking my folder of documents approximately a hundred times and arriving at the airport, it sunk in – I was finally going to see America and start my Saltire Internship with The Edrington Group in New York; the job that I began the application process for seven months ago, believing that I wouldn’t get through the first round of selection. Now I was excited, and with good reason.
After meeting my fellow Saltire Scholars, we headed to Target to kit out our accommodation. We saw some of the sights of the city on a trip organised by our residency, and then I began the job.
When I arrived, the first thing that grabbed my attention was a bar in the lobby of the office and its rooftop terrace overlooking the city. Its modern colour scheme and endless bottles of Macallan whisky and Brugal rum were not the first things I expected to see in the office responsible for all the Americas. That was the first indication I had that this internship was going to be out of the ordinary.
My job is focussed on Brand Activation for Brugal, Dominican rums owned by the Scottish company. Brugal is actively planning a trade programme in key US markets that is aimed at sparking interest in both On and Off -Premise Trade Accounts. As the Brand Development Manager for Brugal is currently away on business I am reporting to the Brand Development Manager for the whiskies – Cutty Sark, Famous Grouse, Highland Park and The Macallan. He tells me that the trade programme includes placement of POS materials in accounts, incentivising trade staff to recommend Brugal to consumers. My role in this process will be to support and monitor this brand activation programme in a number of ways, providing analysis and a final report that makes recommendations for the future.
I am intrigued. My manager then explains I will be monitoring the efficiency and effectiveness of the activators through a ‘secret shop’ programme at on-trade and off-trade premises to ensure that the vendors are aware of and understand the unique selling points of the product, that the product is available and that it is being promoted correctly.
Through all of this, I hope to gain knowledge of industry specific field execution and product awareness, communication skills for liaising verbally with trade and consumers, and will probably be required to use or be exposed to the Spanish language in a business setting given the company’s Hispanic roots.
I will not only be learning about the spirits industry and how international companies function, I will also learn about the American culture. This is the first time I have been in the U.S. and the cultural differences between here and the U.K are more abundant than I had imagined. I am told I will be incorporated into all office activities – which include activities of a social nature such as baseball games, Happy Hour gatherings, team building activities and visits to tourist sites!
This week I have been settling in and meeting everyone who is based in the New York office. It is an exciting time to be here, as the company is expanding rapidly. Many of my co-workers are new recruits, and there are plans for even more people to join. Throughout this week I have had the privilege of having lunch with the Financial Planning and Analysis Manager for the Americas, the Brand Development Manager and the Human Resources Manager. I have also been working on a competitive review of the sector that I will present to my colleagues. Brugal is positioning itself as a premium spirit, and as such its competitors are not necessarily other rum brands, but rather premium tequila, vodka and gin brands.
It is safe to say that now, having got here in one piece, I am feeling more relaxed and VERY excited about what’s to come. I feel very pleased and lucky to have an internship with such a vibrant and interesting company, especially during this important time and I am sure I will thoroughly enjoy my time here.