Luring engineers into the energy sector
Release Date: 13 December 2007
UWA, Curtin and Murdoch students are among a group of 10 West Australian first-year engineering students who have today been awarded an Australian Power Institute (API) bursary as part of an industry-wide push to strengthen the country's energy industry skills base.
API CEO Mike Griffin said the winning students were of a very high standard, in terms of academic achievement and leadership qualities.
"The API - a not-for-profit organisation established by the power industry - is serious about encouraging first year engineering students to consider power engineering as an exciting career choice with excellent job prospects," Mr Griffin said.
"The next generation of power engineers will be instrumental in providing the solutions to important challenges such as climate change.
"By supporting the development of graduates with specialised power engineering skills we can recognise the high quality graduates who meet the future requirements of the industry" he said.
The bursaries, which were jointly hosted by Western Power – Western Australia's largest electricity network – and awarded by Western Power General Manager, Mr Mark de Laeter at Curtin University, will provide each student with $8000 over a four-year period, as well as valuable work experience and vacation employment.
Western Power's Managing Director Doug Aberle said that the bursary was a good example of what can be achieved when companies work together to support the community.
"This has had a significant impact in providing opportunities for our next generation of power engineers, "said.
Nationally 42 bursaries will be awarded with 10 bursaries being awarded in WA.
Prof. Syed Islam, Head of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Curtin University of Technology, said the industry-sponsored bursaries reinforced the message to prospective students that excellent employment opportunities existed for power engineering graduates.
"By supporting the development of graduates with specialized power engineering skills we can recognize the high quality graduates who might "best fit" the future requirements of the industry" he said.
The 10 students presented with their awards in a special ceremony held in conjunction with the Australasian Universities Power Engineering
Conference (AUPEC) were:
- Paul Reid – UWA
- Ronald Chau – UWA
- Aara Probeski – UWA
- David Reilly – UWA
- Sumit Ruda – Curtin
- Liam Lilly – Curtin
- Jaden Williamson – Curtin
- Vina Nguyen – Curtin
- Ishara Liyange – Curtin
- Lee Ucich - Murdoch
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