Summary
Fleming Homes, led by Managing Director Sarah Mathieson, specialises in the design and manufacture of award-winning, bespoke timber frame houses. With over 37 years of experience, the company has manufactured over 2000 affordable and sustainable self-build homes across the UK.
Fleming Homes saw an opportunity to address two critical challenges by leveraging the Saltire Scholar Programme:
they needed additional resources to complete an eco-friendly insulation project
they aimed to attract top talent to their rural business.
Managing Director Sarah Mathieson explains:
Fleming Homes hosted Camilla, a University of Glasgow student, as their Sustainable New Product Development Intern in the summer of 2022. Over 12 weeks, Camilla researched the viability of a new, sustainable insulation product, focusing on superior thermal efficiency with natural materials.
Camilla calculated the costs of manufacturing the product, established its carbon footprint, and reported on the benefits, challenges, and limitations associated with delivering the product. Camilla also liaised with customers and suppliers to ensure that the product met their needs and expectations.
As a result of Camilla’s work, Fleming Homes was able to accelerate the research stage of their new product development project and saved up to 6 months of work if the project had been conducted in-house by full-time employees. Sarah explains:
Throughout her 12-week internship, Camilla consistently delivered expertly structured and well-designed presentations, accompanied by supplementary documents that made her findings easy to understand and digest. Her final research outputs, delivered with precision and finesse, had a profound impact on the organisation's ability to progress with new product initiatives, a testament to her diligence and hard work.
For Sarah, the unexpected result of hosting Camilla as an intern was the impact she had on the organisation culturally.
Camilla's natural leadership potential and self-starting attitude made her a valuable asset to our team. Her dynamic presence breathed new life into the organisation, infusing us with a sense of excitement and fresh perspective. With a powerful combination of skills, tools, and boundless energy, she catalysed our team culture and helped us recognise the importance of diverse thought and innovative perspectives. We are now more conscious than ever of the invaluable role that young people can play in driving an organisation's success."
Fleming Homes hope to host more Saltire Scholars in the future, as they recognise the Saltire Scholar Programme as a key partner for introducing fresh, exciting talent to their business. Sarah concluded:
"Our participation in the Saltire Scholar Programme was an overwhelmingly positive experience, one that we would enthusiastically recommend to other businesses. The programme provided us with access to a carefully curated pool of aspiring young talent, which proved to be an incredible asset in our quest to find the brightest minds who can help propel our business forward. We were impressed with the quality of the talent pool and are confident that our involvement in the programme will pay dividends in the years to come, as we continue to invest in the growth and success of our business."