Saltire Scholars Programme 2026

This summer, we’re delighted to welcome a new group of interns to Aspen Solutions through the Saltire Scholar Programme.

The Saltire Scholars Programme is Entrepreneurial Scotland’s flagship programme designed to find, grow and connect students with the ambition and potential of becoming future leaders for Scotland.

As they begin their placements with us, we’re excited to support their development, share our expertise, and learn from the fresh perspectives they bring to the team. We thought we would get the thoughts of Ayesha & Ben as they settle in to our headquarters.

Q. What made you choose the Aspen Solutions internship, and what stood out to you about the role when you applied? 

Ayesha: Two things stood out to me about this role! First, it meant I got to live in another Scottish city and explore the country a bit more. I love getting to experience new places, so moving to Glasgow for the summer was exciting. Second, the internship offered exactly the insight into the intersection of tech and business that I’d been looking for. It felt like a real privilege to find a role that matched what I actually wanted to learn.

Ben: One of the things that immediately stood out to me was the fact that Aspen was founded in Cumbernauld, which is where I’m from! Working in a fast-paced environment and with AI also sounded like a really exciting prospect that would provide a lot of valuable experience over the summer.

Q. Now that you’ve been here a couple of weeks, what were your first impressions?

Ayesha: The people really make this experience! Everyone’s been so supportive and kind, which is why my first month has been the best. It’s a privilege to be surrounded by people way smarter than me who are genuinely excited to see me learn and grow.

Ben: Settling in has been really easy. Everybody here has been very welcoming and eager to help, which has been great. Getting the chance to talk with people across departments and get stuck into a range of different tasks across different disciplines has also been a fun way to get acquainted with everybody.

Q. What have you been getting involved in so far, and what have you enjoyed most in your first few weeks?

Ayesha: What I’ve enjoyed most is the amount of responsibility and trust I’ve been given as well as getting to take on tasks that have a real impact on the business. Being trusted like that from early on has been meaningful, and it’s pushed me to do my best work.

Ben: I have been involved with the AI Council, getting the opportunity to attend and contribute to meetings, and helping draft AI policies and documentation for the company intranet page. I’ve also enjoyed the variety of tasks that come with the fast-paced nature of this role, as I am always busy working on something exciting.

Q. What are you most looking forward to learning or experiencing during the rest of your internship?

Ayesha: I’m excited to keep learning how a business operates over various teams, and to keep contributing to the ISO 27001 certification. It’s something that’ll stay with Aspen long after I’ve gone, and I’m proud to be part of it. I’m also excited to continue learning from the people around me. 

Ben: I am really excited to see how the AI Intranet section develops as the summer progresses. Having a substantial project to develop and iterate on over the summer will give me something concrete to look back on at the end of my internship to see what I have learned and accomplished.

Our team is thrilled have these great young people onboard for a very busy summer – it’s excellent to see them thrive as they start their careers.

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