Behind the scenes at Glasgow 2014

MBA at Strathclyde Business School.  The university’s partnership with ICT consultants NVT group, the official technology providers for Glasgow 2014, allowed students to join its team of ‘players’.  On the days of the Games I was based at the Glasgow National Hockey stadium, helping everything run smoothly and making sure there were no hiccups.

It was both daunting and exhilarating to be an essential part of such a significant experience for Glasgow.  I decided to go for it when the NVT Group delivered a presentation about their volunteering scheme during an MBA class last year.  It seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to me, not only to take part in one of Scotland’s most anticipated events, but also to allow me to give something back to the city where I decided to pursue my MBA.

I’m from Indonesia and currently there are approximately 50 Indonesians studying in Glasgow in various postgraduate programmes around the city.  Indonesians are outnumbered by our neighbouring Commonwealth countries such as Malaysia and Singapore.  I hoped that by volunteering during the Games, I could in some small way represent our country’s support towards Scotland for hosting this unique celebration that brings so many cultures across the globe together.

The experience working with NVT in itself was a diverse and valuable one.  The team were very accommodating and understanding.  As a business student I had limited IT experience but was keen to learn more and they were willing to give me that opportunity, teaching me invaluable technical skills including cabling and IT troubleshooting.

Perhaps the most rewarding part of volunteering during the games was the chance I had to get to know other volunteers, who turned out to be mostly undergraduate students.  It has been great discussing our studies in general and sharing our local and international experiences during our time at university.  Through working so closely with the other volunteers I was able to truly immerse myself in the multicultural atmosphere of Glasgow 2014.  And getting to watch a few hockey matches was a bonus too!

Were you involved in the organisation of Glasgow 2014? Share your experience in the comments below.