Stuart Ayres MP, Member for Penrith today met with local apprentice, Amanda Henderson from Penrith salon J’amie Hair to encourage local first year apprentices who are experiencing financial hardship to apply for a $15,000 scholarship from the NSW Government.
Stuart Ayres said the scholarships are part of a new $2.4 million scholarship program to assist apprentices who need additional financial support.
“The NSW Government is offering 40 scholarships, each worth $15,000 over three years, for beginning apprentices who have demonstrated financial hardship in completing their qualification,” Stuart Ayres said.
“Apprentices are vital to the economic growth and development of NSW. We recognise that some students need additional financial support to help them achieve their training qualification.
“The 40 first year recipients will receive $5000 each year, for three years. To get the program going, we are also offering scholarships to 40 second year and 40 third year apprentices, worth $5000 for each year of study remaining. In total 120 new scholarships will be awarded this year, at a total value of $600,000.”
Education Minister Adrian Piccoli said the scholarships are designed to assist those apprentices who face significant challenges in completing their qualification, particularly those students with a disability, Aboriginal apprentices and women in non-traditional trades.
“The scholarships are named in honour of the NSW Apprenticeships Ambassador, Bert Evans AO, who has spent a lifetime supporting vocational education and training and apprentices in NSW,” Mr Piccoli said.
“These scholarships are in addition to the existing Country Apprentice Scholarships program, which supports up to 30 students each year to cover the additional costs that are faced by apprentices in rural and regional NSW.”
Information on the scholarships is available from State Training Services Regional Centres on 13 28 11 and at www.training.nsw.gov.au
