Sixty Curtin University students are set for a career in the resources industry thanks to the largest scholarship partnership Curtin has ever undertaken with a single company.<\/p>\n
BHP Billiton Iron Ore has provided $2.5 million for undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships over the next five years, including a number of scholarships specifically for female engineering students.<\/p>\n
Professor Jill Downie, Curtin\u2019s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Education, said the new partnership with BHP Billiton Iron Ore built upon the success of the $5 million BHP Billiton Curtin Alliance established in 2006, which has already offered a suite of undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships for Curtin students.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis new partnership also complements the existing BHP Billiton Iron Ore Indigenous scholarships, which fund up to five scholarships annually to support Indigenous students studying at Curtin,\u201d Professor Downie said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt truly is an enormous commitment and we are proud to be partnering with a company that is passionate about advancing education and research for Australian resource industries.\u201d<\/p>\n
BHP Billiton President Iron Ore, Jimmy Wilson, said BHP Billiton was committed to supporting the next generation of skilled Western Australians.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur investment will help to advance important research and develop the skills and talent that the resources industry depends upon,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are pleased to be offering a number of scholarships for female engineering students which, along with our Indigenous scholarships, will encourage further diversity in the sector.<\/p>\n
\u201cInvesting in education is a key pillar of our Community Development Program, and we are proud to be extending our long-standing relationship with Curtin University to further support education in this State.\u201d<\/p>\n
The BHP Billiton scholarships offered each year from 2014 until 2018 will include:<\/p>\n
BHP Billiton Iron Ore\u2019s investment was made possible through the Company\u2019s Community Development Program, which has contributed more than $200 million over the past five years to health, education, Indigenous development and community infrastructure initiatives in Western Australia. Of this, $55 million was spent on education investments alone.<\/p>\n