Hi, my name is Alison Jack. I am about to start my final year of studying a Master of Arts in Geography at the University of Glasgow. This past summer, I had the opportunity to work at Rabbies Trail Burners for a 12-week internship in the Accommodation team.
I had a plan in my head that the summer before my penultimate year of university, I wanted to do an internship, but I had no idea how to find or apply to one. That was until my friend told me about the Saltire Scholar programme, highlighting how the programme had helped her in so many ways. Even if not lucky enough to receive an internship, it was an opportunity to find some new and different career prospects and gain expert advice about creating a successful CV and job application, and experience in interview situations.
Prior to starting my time at Rabbies, I had no experience working in an office and was unsure about exactly how my degree could be useful in the corporate workforce. I applied to Rabbies due to my interest in travel and travel sustainability, but I had no idea what to expect when entering the company on my first day. On my first day, I was able to meet my manager (Jackie), team leaders (Eilidh and Daniel) and three of my fellow interns for the summer. I was introduced and talked through the role that I would be doing for my 12 weeks internship. I was tasked with the general administration of my department. Answering customer enquiries, doing accommodation cancellations and confirming accommodation options. Furthermore, I also gained the opportunity to book customers' accommodation and contact the properties directly to check for availability, thus allowing my team members to have more time to do some of their other roles. Every day was slightly different from the last. I had to communicate with a variety of employees within the company, problem-solve to find limited accommodation during the peak travel season, work within tight time deadlines and be friendly to customers.
Aside from working with my team, I was able to chat and connect with other teams within the company and even got to talk to Rabbies' sustainability officer about how the company is trying to improve itself to ensure they continue to offer sustainable travel. This includes having a self-imposed carbon tax, donating to local charities and communicating with and adapting to the needs of local communities to ensure their concerns were heard and acted upon. This was an amazing opportunity to allow me to grow my interest in sustainable travel and see a possible future career prospect.
I was extremely lucky to be one of nine interns at the company. We grew very close, even arranging social events together in Edinburgh, having lunch together, travelling together and learning about each other’s lives and future plans. This made the experience so much more enjoyable, and the experience would not have been the same without them. We supported each other and kept the spirits up despite some early morning starts! We even organised a bake sale at the company to help raise money for Saltrie Scholars, which was enjoyed by our colleagues.
My role allowed me to adapt and learn quickly, and enabled me to work as part of a wider team. I have developed so many different skills, grown my confidence and connected with many different people. Although there were challenges, the positive impacts were immense and opened up my eyes to a possible future that I would not have imagined 12 weeks prior.
My advice for anyone in their penultimate or final year at a Scottish University this year: Do apply to become a Saltire Scholar. You can learn more about how to write a good CV, top tips for interviews, and so much more. My summer working at Rabbies and being a Saltire Scholar has been rewarding and inspirational. I know you will not regret applying. Go for it - you do not know how much you can gain from this experience until you have tried!
