Jessica Chen
2026 Saltire Scholar
Innovation and Partnerships Intern, Sydney Airport
Business with Marketing at The University of Edinburgh
Hi, I'm Jess. I am going into my fourth and final year of Business with Marketing at The University of Edinburgh. I first discovered the Saltire Scholars programme through an email from my University’s Careers Service. I was immediately drawn to the opportunity to gain internship experience, particularly because it offered the chance to intern not only in the UK but also internationally. Going into third year, I was really hoping to secure an internship that would allow me to develop my professional experience, and Saltire Scholars felt like an exciting opportunity to do exactly that while also challenging myself in a new environment.
I completed my 10-week internship at Sydney Airport, initially joining the Commercial team as a Retail Premium Services Intern. During my internship, my role changed, and I became an Innovation and Partnerships Intern.
Starting my internship was challenging at first, as I had little understanding of how a large organisation like Sydney Airport operated. I really had to hit the ground running, I was thrown into meetings from the beginning and often had to learn as I went. Although this was daunting initially, it was one of the best ways for me to learn. I was surrounded by supportive managers who were always willing to answer my questions, which helped me quickly build my confidence and become more comfortable contributing in meetings.
Throughout my internship, I worked across a range of projects, including the launches of Fast Track and Travelex. For Fast Track, I helped coordinate the launch of the service as an MVP, with the aim of testing the offering before gradually increasing awareness and conversion through marketing. I also supported the launch of Travelex, returning as Sydney Airport’s new foreign exchange partner after 10 years! These projects involved coordinating across marketing, communications, social media and PR, tracking deadlines and ensuring stakeholders were kept updated and everything was on track for launch day.
My major project also changed during the internship. I was initially due to work on Premium Suites or Endless Aisles, but these projects had to be changed due to time constraints and other challenges. I therefore took on a new project focused on Brand Connect and advertising. The aim was to bring advertising, pop-up retail, brand partnerships, activations, and events and conferences together under one commercial identity. I worked closely with the social team to develop a web portal with an enquiry form and created a strategic business plan for the team to continue the project after I left. The experience taught me to be adaptable. Having my major project changed unexpectedly could have been frustrating, but it encouraged me to embrace a new challenge and ultimately gave me experience in an area I would not have explored otherwise.
One of my most memorable experiences was working late with the team the day before Travelex launch. Seeing how everyone supported each other and worked together, even outside normal working hours, gave me a real appreciation for the importance of team culture. We also had team lunches, which helped me get to know my colleagues outside of work and made me feel like part of the team. These experiences showed me that a positive and supportive working environment can make a huge difference to how much you enjoy your work and how comfortable you feel contributing.
Outside of work, meeting the other interns was another highlight of the experience. I met some amazing people through the programme, and we travelled around Australia together, making the most of our time in such an incredible country. Even though it was winter, we were able to go without jackets, which our Australian colleagues found concerning because they thought it was freezing! Scottish people are clearly built different. These experiences made the internship about much more than professional development and gave me memories and friendships that I will take away from the programme.
The biggest changes I have noticed in myself is how much my confidence has grown. At the start of my internship, I was nervous about speaking in meetings, I was quiet and often worried about asking questions when I did not understand something. As the summer progressed, I became much more comfortable speaking up, sharing my ideas and asking questions when I needed clarification.
I also became much more confident presenting in front of others. Having the opportunity to contribute to real projects and communicate with different teams pushed me outside my comfort zone and showed me that I was capable of more than I thought.
I would definitely encourage any student considering Saltire Scholars to apply. It is an amazing opportunity to gain work experience while also experiencing a completely different culture and environment. For me, it was a chance to challenge myself, meet new people and gain confidence both professionally and personally.
My advice to future Scholars would be to make the most of every opportunity and not be afraid to ask questions. You might feel out of your depth at first, but that is often when you learn the most. I would also encourage people to make the most of the experience outside of work, whether that is travelling, meeting the other Scholars or exploring your new surroundings.
Being a Saltire Scholar means having an experience that I will remember long after university. I have come away with valuable skills, great friendships and a much better understanding of what I am capable of. I am so glad I took the chance to apply, and I hope others do the same.
