Students go global to become leaders of the future

Students go global to become leaders of the future

Five Abertay students are taking on a summer training challenge in a bid to become business leaders of the future.

A record 165 students will enter Entrepreneurial Scotland’s prestigious 2017 Saltire Scholar Internship Programme, which is now in its 10th year.

The group of Abertay students successfully applied to take part in the scheme, which aims to nurture the next generation of business talent.

They were helped through the application and interview process by staff in Abertay’s Careers Service.

Cameron McPherson (Computer Games Technology) is working as an engineering intern with Karuna Labs in San Fransico and Amy Ballingall (Business Management) is on a placement as an analyst with IBM in Maidenhead.

Dana Mucichescu (Business Management) is with GA Engineering in Dundee as a purchasing analyst, while Hannah Aitken (Forensic Science) secured a spot with Avista Pharma Solutions in Durham, USA and Joshua Havens (Business Management) is working at Edinburgh Airport as a complex build intern.

The programme provides Scotland’s most talented students with opportunities to work with 77 leading organisations in sectors including the music industry, banking, fashion, financial services, food and drink, life sciences, energy, manufacturing as well as not for profit organisations.

The 2017 cohort has students representing 15 of Scotland’s Universities and is 57% female and 43% male.

Students are visiting countries including Ireland, England, Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland, China, UAE, USA, and for the first time, Canada.

Sara Nelson, Head of Saltire Scholar Internship programme, said: “The programme is not only life-changing for the students that take part, it is hugely valued by our host company partners and Saltire Scholars are highly sought after by graduate employers.

“Firms who want to grow their business say their biggest challenge is finding talented people with the ambition, attitude and skills to get the job done.  Saltire Scholars again and again show that they have these qualities.”

Sandy Kennedy, Chief Executive of Entrepreneurial Scotland, said: “This is truly a landmark year for our Scholar internship programme. We set out a decade ago to find, fuel and spark students with potential to become the next generation of leaders for Scotland. Fast forward 10 years and we now have an alumni of more than 1,000 Saltire Scholars from across Scotland who are giving back to their country and making an impact in organisations around the world.”

Saltire internships are open to every year to third year students and are fully funded through supporters and donors of the Saltire Foundation charity, the philanthropic arm of Entrepreneurial Scotland.