Over the summer of 2025, I had the opportunity to join Hamilton Ross Group (HRG) as a Data Analyst through the Saltire Scholars Programme. My goal was to deliver solutions that created measurable business impact. Over the course of my placement, I developed a series of dashboards in Power BI that transformed the way HRG tracked performance, improved efficiency, and supported decision-making.
What started as a technical challenge quickly grew into a project that shaped operational outcomes across HRG’s six depots, strengthened supplier accountability, and even contributed to a record-breaking sales milestone.
Alongside the dashboards, I also produced a set of handover documents to ensure HRG could continue benefiting from the work long after my internship.
As part of my internship, I also sat in on various consultancy meetings which gave me exposure to how large-scale business systems are reviewed, optimised, and negotiated at director level. My role was to observe, take structured notes, and map the discussions against ongoing data projects, ensuring that the dashboards I was building aligned with the wider digital transformation goals. Sitting in these meetings alongside senior leadership gave me an early insight into consultancy-style dynamics — from vendor relationships and system integration challenges, to the importance of having reliable, well-structured data that supports both operational and strategic decision-making.
I would like to thank Jamie Gardiner for giving me the opportunity to take on this internship and for trusting me to deliver real business impact at Hamilton Ross Group. This experience has been transformative, both technically and personally, and it would not have been possible without his support and encouragement.
This experience gave me clarity on pursuing Data Analytics as a career. It also feels fitting that a 2014 Saltire Scholar played a role in inspiring and enabling the 2025 Saltire Scholar cohort, a reminder of how the programme continues to create a legacy of opportunity and ambition across generations of Scottish talent.
