Engineering scholarships offer ‘a real head start’ for career

ENGINEERED FOR SUCCESS: Eastland Network's assets and planning manager and former Eastland Group Tertiary Engineering Scholarship recipient Mikaere Ngarimu. Picture supplied

Students looking for a career in engineering can once again apply for an Eastland Group Tertiary Engineering Scholarship, which could be worth up to a total of $20,000 over four years.

“We employ engineers right across our business sectors, including Tairawhiti's port and electricity lines company,” said Eastland Group chief executive Matt Todd.

“We also have engineers working at our two geothermal power plants in Kawerau.

“The importance of the people in all these roles has been highlighted this year as they helped keep essential lifeline businesses operating through the challenges of Covid-19.

“Providing scholarships to local engineering students is one of the ways we support the regions we operate in and the young stars of the future.”

Every year, Eastland Group awards $5000 annual scholarships to several engineering students.

Along with the Eastland Group Tertiary Engineering Scholarships, they also offer an Eastland Generation Scholarship. This is for a student who is specifically interested in a career in the geothermal industry, and is keen to have work experience at their geothermal power plants.

Eastland Group aims to continue supporting scholarship recipients throughout their studies. If a student receives a scholarship, passes their exams, and reapplies each year, they could receive up to $20,000 over a four-year degree.

They may also be offered paid holiday work over the summer with Eastland Group.

Scholarships are open to tertiary students in their first, second or third year of study, and school leavers starting university next year.

Students must be studying civil, mechanical, electrical, chemical or process engineering and be from Gisborne, Wairoa or the East Coast (for Eastland Group Scholarships) or from Gisborne, Wairoa, the East Coast or the Bay of Plenty (for the Eastland Generation Scholarship) and a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident.

Applications close on October 23.

In 2009 Mikaere Ngarimu, from Whareponga, became one of the first recipients of an Eastland Group Tertiary Engineering Scholarship.

After two summers of work experience at Eastland Network, he was employed as a graduate engineer in 2011, and has been with the company ever since.

He is now the Eastland Network's assets and planning manager.

“I encourage all local engineering students to go for it and apply for this scholarship,” Mr Ngarimu said.

“The money makes such a difference in terms of supporting your studies, and the work experience can give you a real head start in your career.”