Minerals Education Bursary Scheme (MEBS)
The NSW Minerals Council, Newcrest Cadia Valley Operations, Xstrata Coal, Northparkes Mine and Illawarra Coal invite senior secondary students to apply for a 2009 Minerals Education Bursary (MEBS).
Yr 11 and Yr 12 students from selected schools from the Central West, Hunter Valley, Mudgee and Illawarra regions are eligible to apply.
This program is designed to attract and retain senior secondary students’ interest in the minerals industry as a possible future career of choice through a co-ordinated program of activities and contact with the industry and stakeholders such as Cadia Valley Operations, Xstrata Coal, Northparkes Mine, Illawarra Coal, universities and AusIMM.
Bursary winners will receive a cash grant of $500 for Year 11 students and $1,000 for Year 12 students sponsored by Cadia Valley Operations, Xstrata Coal, Northparkes Mines and Illawarra Coal .
Secondary school bursary holders who go on to complete the first year of an undergraduate degree in a designated minerals related tertiary course within 12 months of completing their schooling will then receive a $2,000 undergraduate bursary. Bursary holders are still eligible to apply for other scholarships at university.
To be eligible to remain a bursary holder, students must participate in a minimum of 2 ‘MEBS’ related activities conducted by NSW Minerals Council or member companies. MEBS activities may include open days at mine sites or universities, company events, career expos organised or conducted by minerals industry, mentoring programs, minerals careers dinners, Minerals Council of Australia student activities during ‘Minerals Week’, work experience and ‘Minerals School Cluster’ activities.
A key feature of the program is that every MEBS holder will be allocated a ‘mentor’ from the sponsoring company. Mentors will provide students with a long-term contact within the industry, offering career advice, study assistance and access to work experience and other mine site activities and resources.
Application to the MEBS scheme will be opening for 2009 soon.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must be enrolled at a secondary school within the Central West, Hunter Valley or Mudgee regions as nominated by Cadia Valley Operations, Northparkes, Xstrata Coal and Illawarra Coal.
- Eligible schools include: All Saints Bathurst, Bathurst High, Blayney High, Canobolas Rural Technology High, Cowra High, Forbes High, James Sheahan High, Kelso High, Kinross Wolaroi, Mackillop College, Molong Central, Orange High, Orange Christian School, Parkes High, Peak Hill Central, Red Bend Catholic College Forbes, Scots Bathurst, St Joseph’s Central Blayney, Canowindra High, St Stanislaus’ College Bathurst, Singleton High School, St Catherine’s Catholic College, Mt View High School, Cessnock High School, Maitland High School, All Saints College, Maitland Grossman High School, Rutherford Technology High School, Hunter Valley Grammar, Mudgee High School, Gulgong High School, Picton High School, Camden High School, Ambarvale High School, John Therry Catholic, Broughton Anglican College, St Gregory’s College, Illawarra Senior College, Illawarra Grammar, Warilla High School, St Josephs High School, Holy Spirit College, Figtree High School, Smiths Hill Selective High School, Keira Technology High School, Illawarra Christian School, Edmund Rice College and St Mary’s Star of the Sea.
- Applicants will be required to make a written application including details of recent academic record and a short supporting statement from their Head Teacher Science or Maths. Short-listed students may be required to attend a personal interview. Personal attributes and suitability together with a genuine interest and commitment to the industry should be considered as key selection criteria in addition to a sound academic record.
- Unsuccessful applicants in a given year may re-apply in the subsequent year.
- To be eligible to extend a bursary from Year 11 into their Year 12, bursary holders must demonstrate participation in at least two “careers education” activities conducted by the sponsoring companies, NSW Minerals Council or Minerals Council of Australia. These could include Minerals Careers Dinners, mine site work experience and other designated activities as determined by NSWMC.
- A selection panel of three will decide the awarding of these bursaries. The panel will be made up of a nominated company person from Cadia Valley Operations and/or Northparkes, Xstrata Coal, Illawarra Coal, the NSW Minerals Council and Michael Clancy, Vocational Education consultant from Western Region NSW DET (Bathurst office) or Di Garis Vocational Education Consultant from Hunter Region NSW DET.
If you are (or know someone who is) a Year 11 or Year 12 student at your school doing reasonably well in maths and science and who MAY be interested in pursuing a science undergraduate degree and being involved with this program (and receiving up to $1000) and you meet the requirements mentioned above, email education@nswmin.com.au to register your interest. Application forms for 2009 will be available soon.
