On May 15th, 2023, I received an incredible offer to intern as a people & safety mobilisation specialist at City Facilities Management (FM) Australia. However, there was one problem, I didn’t have a valid passport. Initially I had applied to renew it for my summer holidays, never expecting this opportunity to come my way. Fortunately, my passport arrived on May 20th, and I am immensely grateful to everyone at Saltire Programmes, Entrepreneurial Scotland Foundation (ESF) and City FM for their understanding and accommodation in this situation.
Three weeks later, I found myself on a plane, heading to the other side of the world, by myself. The realisation hit me that I was only Saltire Scholar going to Australia, and I knew little about Melbourne or anyone there.
Now, after completing eight out of the twelve weeks, I can hardly believe the incredible experiences I've had. From the start I got stuck in with the team, and felt warmly welcomed at City FM, embracing their values of trust, collaboration, and transparency. However, I faced a challenge on my first day - the excessive use of acronyms at City FM, which led me to frequently interrupting conversations to ask for explanations.
My time at City FM has been exhilarating, with each day presenting new challenges and opportunities to learn about the facilities management sector, I've gained knowledge an insight into aspects I never knew existed. My project, named Project Unicorn (after Scotland's national animal), involved creating tools and templates to improve mobilisation for City FM and future partners. I achieved this by conducting research, analysing data, developing strategies for success, and presenting my findings to drive positive changes at City FM. Throughout the process, I have improved my excel skills and developed an interest in Power BI, which I plan to explore further in my own time. This experience has equipped me with valuable skills, offered great networking opportunities, and facilitated both personal and professional growth.
Besides the work, this opportunity has allowed me to explore the East Coast of Australia, encounter adorable koalas, and even feed kangaroos! One of the highlights from my time in Melbourne was visiting the Great Ocean Road, it was a spectacular route! However, I did face a minor challenge - adjusting to waiting two minutes as a pedestrian to cross the road, something I'm not accustomed to!
This entire experience has felt incredibly fitting, has opened my eyes to how much I've grown as an individual, and has ignited excitement about what the future holds for me. I strongly recommend others to apply, you don’t need to apply for opportunities suited to your degree (Facilities Management has got nothing to do with Biomedical Sciences), if you're genuinely interested in the company just go for it!
I extend a heartful thank you to my host company, City FM, the amazing people involved in the Saltire Scholar programmes, ESF and the careers service at the University of Dundee. Their support and effort have made this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity possible, and I am immensely grateful for it.
