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Two exceptional high school graduates have been named the winners of $10,000 (about $7,000) scholarships that will help them achieve their dreams of becoming engineers.
The inaugural ARISE Scholarships, awarded by Australian Resources Industry Skills and Education (ARISE) and supported by BHP and BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA), are aimed at addressing a shortage of engineers in the resources sector by attracting promising students to the field.
The ARISE initiative was established to broaden the geographic reach of the industry-led education and skills training initiative, QMEA, in states and territories across Australia.
Samantha Vardy, of Tannum Sands State High School in Gladstone, and Henry Hall from Kelvin Grove State College, have been named this year’s winners.
Vardy is enrolled in a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), and Hall has embarked on a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Master of Engineering (Civil/Mining) at the University of Queensland (UQ).
For Vardy, the scholarship will assist with the financial costs of moving from Gladstone to Brisbane to study at QUT and will allow her the freedom to undertake work placement opportunities within the industry. A diligent leader, who was the vice-captain of her school in 2021, she had a passion for mathematics and science, but only recently became interested in engineering.
Hall gravitated towards mining engineering for its career diversity and its strong focus on operations. His involvement with QMEA – as a Year 10 participant in its STEM Unearthed program and as a QMEA Ambassador during his final year of school – influenced his degree choice.
These opportunities, Hall said, enabled him to “recognise that there was significantly more depth to mining engineering than I initially thought”.
The scholarship funds will give him freedom and flexibility in his studies, by lowering the number of hours he needs to work each week and allowing him to maximise engagement with internships and industry opportunities.
BMA’s Head of Human Resources Tamara Barden said engineering graduates are crucial as mining evolves through new challenges.
“We are proud to invest in the educational potential of both Samantha and Henry, as they represent the future of the resources sector,” Barden said.
The initiative encourages secondary school students into STEM-related careers in the resources sector, with a focus on female and Indigenous participation. The initiative is made possible through the support of foundation partners, BHP and BMA, and provides students and teachers the opportunity to experience the resources sector operations through on-site and in-school activities, flagship camps, and scholarships.
