Aboriginals offered special scholarships in IT
Aboriginals offered special scholarships in IT
Apr 21, 2005: New opportunities have been made available for Aboriginals to be given sponsorships to help them achieve the qualifications they need to find employment in Information Technology.
The scholarships are being provided by a new partnership between Lester Associates and TAFE NSW to not only help develop and increase the number of professionals in the IT industry in Australia, but also to provide a hand up for Indigenous people too.The scholarships are worth $180,000 over the next three years, and 20 scholarships will be offered from an annual pool of $60,000.Colin Ware, the managing director of Lester Associates, said that he has always had an interest in training in Australia and in finding ways to help the disadvantaged people of Australia, particularly the Aboriginal population."I have visited many places in Australia and seen first hand that the challenges facing Aboriginal communities can be quite substantial. These scholarships are one way we can invest training money where we believe it will do the most good."I hope that we can help inspire a desire to achieve. The scholarships will be structured to reward success at each stage of the course. Ultimately I hope to see people get meaningful qualifications and related employment and to be encouraged to continue study to get their diploma or degree."So far three regional TAFE Institutes, with large Aboriginal populations, have agreed to partner with Lester Associates to manage these scholarships in the Western, New England and North Coast regions.Jennifer Batten, from Western Institutes, said: "This partnership with Lester Associates is an excellent opportunity to encourage Aboriginal students to participate in the dynamic IT industry. Participating students will be mentored through the program whether they are full time students, trainees or students in the workplace studying flexibly."Related Article: