Giovanni Guzzi
2026 Saltire Scholar
Works Delivery Track Intern, Network Rail
Mechanical Engineering with Aeronautics, University of Glasgow
Hello! My name is Giovanni Guzzi, and I study Mechanical Engineering with Aeronautics at the University of Glasgow. I came into contact with the Entrepreneurial Scotland Foundation and their Saltire Scholar programme at a careers fair hosted by my university. Admittedly, I was initially attracted to the stand because I saw one of my friends manning it. However, I was very interested in the Idea of spending my summer learning new skills and building up my expertise in the corporate world, which was completely new to me. I was additionally enticed to join because of the very positive reviews I heard from my peers who had completed the programme, who explained to me all the benefits they were able to draw from it. While filling out my application, I was looking forward to the experience, hoping to enhance my outlook on the corporate world and build a more nuanced understanding of future opportunities.
For the last 10 weeks, I have been an Intern at Network Rail inside the Works Delivery Track division. My team focuses on refurbishment and life-extension work for the railway. In simple terms, Works Delivery takes a step further than maintenance without going to the lengths of building an entirely new railway line. Within my team, my tasks were focused on the safety in and around the worksite. More specifically, how can we keep frontline operatives as safe as possible. While the railway is not directly related to my degree subject, I was able to put to very good use the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that I developed throughout my education. This internship gave me a chance to see the skills I developed adapt to a completely different setting, and it showed me the universal applicability of soft skills built through years of learning.
By the end of my internship, I feel like I made a lasting impact on my team and my division. I presented my main project at a quarterly meeting, and it was received extremely well. Furthermore, my new ideas were briefed to frontline staff who were enthusiastic about the improvements I suggested. I’m confident that improvements to existing systems will help make the railway safer by making staff more aware of hazards present on site. The most rewarding part of my internship was standing in front of the entirety of my team, showcasing what I had worked towards and seeing people with years of experience on the railway react to it with head nods and smiles. Another part of the internship that I was amazed by was the fieldwork. I really appreciated being able to go out to a worksite and see with my own eyes all the principles that I have studied in the office.
My time as a Saltire Intern with Network Rail made me grow in more ways than I expected. I obtained an outlook on the professional outlook as I was hoping to, but the learning did not stop there. I learned a lot about standards, procedures, and other technical knowledge that is required to run a large, successful business. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to be placed in an intern pool with 30 other extraordinary people, each of whom had unique areas of expertise which I was able to learn from and appreciate. Moreover, having the ability to speak to Network Rail employees from graduates to managers and hearing their stories gave me more to think about than any classroom ever could. Now that the internship is over, I’m proud of all the railway knowledge I obtained and the connections I made along the way.
To students who are considering applying to the programme, I would highly suggest applying. Entrepreneurial Scotland gives you an opportunity to have a free trial inside a very successful company, and it is a great opportunity to learn about concepts but especially to learn about yourself and what is best for you. The best piece of advice I can give is to stick your hand up for every opportunity because no matter what it is, there is a lot you can learn from it; and never be afraid of being the less knowledgeable person in the room, because it means you’re the one who can learn the most!
