Tertiary study boost with Ballance scholarships

12 September 2011

Tertiary study boost with Ballance scholarships

Students considering a future as part of New Zealand’s vibrant primary and science industries have until the end of October to apply for one of four Ballance Agri-Nutrients scholarships valued at $4000 a year for up to three years.

The scholarships are open to immediate family members of Ballance shareholders or company employees and will assist study at tertiary level in either the general primary industry field or in process engineering.

Ballance Head of Research and Environment, Warwick Catto, says that New Zealand is a world leader in agricultural research and is renowned for the practical application of effective solutions created by its students as they follow their careers.

“In addition to that, because our economy is so strongly linked to the success of agriculture, there is a growing need for tertiary qualified agri-business personnel from farm management specialists to vets,” Mr Catto says.

Former Bay of Islands farm girl Holly Andrewes is just one of 53 scholarship recipients since the programme started in 2002, who went on to dedicate her career to the primary industry by becoming a vet.

Now based in Taranaki, Miss Andrewes received a Ballance scholarship in 2007 – her second of five years of study at Massey University.

“I put the scholarship towards reducing my student loan as the fees for this course are three to four times that of a standard university degree,” she says.

Miss Andrewes says she hopes to be able to clear her student loan within four years from graduation – a much shorter time because of Ballance’s commitment to her studies.

Mr Catto says education is the key to building capacity and innovative thinking in the fields of science and technology as well as ensuring the wider agriculture sector remains competitive.

“It’s been identified there are holes in these sectors that need to be filled to ensure New Zealand retains its competitive edge in the global market place. The Ballance scholarship programme is part of the solution to that problem.”

Each scholarship can be held for a maximum of three years. Applications opened on 1 September 2011 and close on 28 October 28 2011.

For more details or to apply, visit www.ballance.co.nz

ENDS

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