Solid Energy offers scholarships of up to $8,000

Solid Energy offers scholarships of up to $8,000 to students from mine communities

Solid Energy is again offering tertiary scholarships to students attending schools in its local mining communities as part of its community support programme. This year Solid Energy is offering four scholarships in the West Coast and Buller, three in Southland, and two in the Waikato.

Each is worth $2000 a year, for up to four years of tertiary study. The scholarships will be distributed between selected high schools.

Applicants are required to write two essays. One asks applicants to comment about how Solid Energy makes a difference in its local communities, not just as an employer but in contributing to the fabric of local life and what else the company might do to “make a difference”. With the second essay, applicants are asked to outline their tertiary study plans and career aspirations and how winning a Solid Energy scholarship would assist them.

Solid Energy Chief Operating Officer, Barry Bragg, says that since the annual scholarship programme was started in 2001, more than 50 students have received assistance.

“Having to live away from your home to attend a polytechnic or university is an additional expense for families from around our mines and we know that in some cases these scholarships have been crucial in allowing young people to pursue their careers or to get through without a huge debt,” he says.

“We are very pleased to be able to offer them once again and I urge parents and teachers to encourage senior high school students to have a look at the website and put in an application.”

Applications for Solid Energy’s tertiary scholarships can be made until Friday, 22 October 2010. A complete list of scholarship criteria and the eligible schools can be found at www.coalnz.com under the Careers section.

ENDS

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