As mentioned in the newsletter last month, eight students from Strathclyde Business School have been given the opportunity of a lifetime after successfully securing their place on the prestigious Saltire Foundation's Undergraduate Internship Programme.
The successful students have been named as: Owen Robinson, Kirsty Nisbet, Colin Millar, Claire Wilson, Christopher White, Claire McDonald, Laura McCusker and Christel McCombie.
In addition, a further eight students from elsewhere in the university were also successful in gaining an internship placement, making Strathclyde the most successful university in Scotland in the latest round of the Saltire Foundation's undergraduate programme.
Students are selected on their individual merits, with academic achievement only one of the factors considered; they must also show ambition, enthusiasm, entrepreneurial promise, initiative and professional behaviour, and must undergo a rigorous interviewing and screening process.
The Saltire Foundation aims to encourage candidates to develop their confidence, skills and capacity to succeed by giving them the chance to work in a leading international company at a practical level for eight weeks.
This year's business school students will be working with companies including Bayer Pharma, Rolls-Royce, Tesco, Wood Group and BAE Surface Ships.
Barbara Graham, Careers Service, said: "We are delighted that, with the support of the 2009 interns and the Careers Service, Strathclyde students secured 16 of the 60 Saltire Foundation internships. Tackling challenging projects in Japan, Poland and North America, the interns will have the opportunity to work closely with senior managers and to gain insight into how these global businesses operate. Saltire internships have proved a great springboard to success for Strathclyde's previous Saltire interns, many of whom are now working with their host companies. We can be confident that the 2010 interns will also gain huge benefit from this exciting venture."
The Saltire Foundation was established to give individuals the opportunity to experience life in some of the world's top companies, equipping them with a positive, can-do attitude and an enterprising outlook, to create the next generation of business leaders in Scotland.
Claire Wilson, who will be working for Lab 49, said, "After speaking to the Director of the Saltire Foundation and past interns I was amazed by the opportunities available. I recognised that a place on the Saltire Internship Programme would offer me a challenge unparalleled to any other summer job. The opportunity also provided the fantastic prospect to work on a project of real commercial significance that would be pivotal to both my degree and career aspirations."
Owen Robinson, who will work with BAE Systems, said, "I was really hoping to get an internship for the summer and I spoke to a few of last year's Saltire participants who emphasised how invaluable the internship was. They had an amazing experience, working alongside senior staff members and as a result have made some fantastic contacts for the future. The Saltire programme offers students a chance to gain an insight into the operations and challenges that large businesses face in an international context and I found this really attractive."
Claire McDonald will be heading to Berlin to work with Bayer. She said, "I decided to apply for Saltire as I realised what a fantastic once in a life time opportunity it offers. After careful consideration of all the internships on offer I decided that the opportunity offered by Bayer was the most suited to what I wish achieve out of the opportunity and would be the most beneficial to my future career ambitions."
Kirsty Nisbet will work with the Wood Group. She said, "I hope working with the Wood Group will allow me to use skills that I have developed in university and gain some real life office experience. I’m looking forward to the challenge and adventure."
Colin Millar has a placement with Liberty Mutual in Boston, USA, and commented, "As well as improving my core skills, this offers me a great test of character, travelling to an unknown environment and being thrown in the deep end, so this opportunity will hopefully make me stand out when applying for graduate positions next year."
Chris White, who is heading to Florida, USA to work with Jabil Circuit, said, "Going to Florida will take me out of my comfort zone and give me experience in adapting to a new culture. The most important thing that I hope to get out of the placement is experiential learning in a dynamic business - this cannot be taught out of a textbook!"
Laura McCusker is also off to the USA - to Indianoapolis where she will work with Rolls-Royce. "Not only will my placement give me a great work ethic and useful tools to further my career, it is providing it all in a new and exciting environment. I'm confident that this internship and continual work with the Saltire Foundation will stand me in great stead for the future."
More information on the Saltire Foundation is available at www.saltirefoundation.com