$32,500 DWC scholarships open

• Published date: 10 August 2022
• Publication title: West Coast Messenger, The

The four annual scholarships are valued up to $32,500 per student, paid over the three to four years of their tertiary study

DWC chief executive Heath Milne said retaining young talent was identified through Te Whanaketanga Te Tai Poutini West Coast 2050 Strategy as a key issue impacting on West Coast businesses' ability to grow and improve productivity.

"The scholarships are designed to grow and retain highly qualified residents on the West Coast by removing barriers to training and employment.

"DWC is proud to partner with West Coast businesses to provide scholarship opportunities that include a mixture of fee payment, holiday work and guaranteed employment on the West Coast upon completion of the student's tertiary study," Mr Milne said.

One scholarship is available per district, with an additional regional scholarship.

DWC vocational co-ordinator Latham Martin said the scholarship opportunities were for first-time tertiary students and were not limited to school leavers.

"We invite anyone who is planning to study at tertiary level next year and who is committed to work and live on the West Coast following completion of their study to apply." Last year's scholarships were awarded to Clark Fountain, Ella Rae-Wood, Jack Stead-Wilson, Rachel Morris and Scarlett Hamilton.

Through his scholarship, Greymouth High School graduate Mr Fountain is pursuing an industrial product design degree at the University of Canterbury.

"I have always been passionate about design and creating new things. This started with Lego at a young age, to now creating an idea from its beginning and taking it right through to final production," he said.

"The skills I am learning currently in my degree are quite broad and can be applied in a range of industries. The Coast has a rich engineering background which I hope to work in and bring new design innovation to." During the upcoming academic break he will be interning at Liddell Contracting in Greymouth.

"The internship...