Whyalla Economic Development Board has welcomed the State Government’s $200,000 initiative to help meet the demand for highly skilled workers in South Australia’s mining and mineral resource industries.
Acting chief executive officer of the board David Knox said the need for highly skilled workers in mines and industries was increasing daily.
He said there was a great need for engineers and geologists and the government’s decision to set up a scholarship fund was a step in the right direction.
“Massive effort is needed to train people and prepare them for the increasing needs in the mines,” Mr Knox said.
“This was an ongoing challenge and any help from the government or any agency would be of great help.”
While making the announcement on Tuesday, Employment, Training and Further Education Minister Paul Caica said the initiative would help fund 100 scholarships over the next three years at the State’s three universities.
“The scholarships, worth $2000 each will be available to undergraduate and honours students of engineering and geology in their third, fourth or fifth years of study.
“The aim of these scholarships is to support senior students to remain committed to their studies and at the same time strengthen their career pathways into the mining and resource sectors.
“These scholarships show that the State Government and the universities are committed to supporting the development of the specialised skills required to build this critical and strategic industry sector.”
Students of geology, electrical and electronics engineering or mechanical and civil engineering will be eligible to apply immediately and next year students of the newly established mining engineering course at the University of Adelaide can put in their application.
$100,000 has been allocated this year for the first 50 scholarships, to be followed in the subsequent two years - 2009 and 2010 by 25 scholarships each year.
Funds have been allocated based on the proportion of students at each of the universities, with the scholarships going to 40 students at the University of Adelaide, 40 at UniSA and 20 students at Flinders University over the three-year period.
For more information contact the scholarship office of the universities.