Vodafone launches scholarships to give Kiwi youth head start

Thu, 17th Dec 2015

FYI, this story is more than a year old

In order to help young Kiwis develop a career in the technology space, Vodafone is offering eight two-year scholarships to eligible students.

The scholarships will be valued at up to $20,000 each and be available to school leavers next year.

The target course is a New Zealand Diploma in Engineering/Information Technology with partner organisations, the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT), and The New Zealand School of Education (NZSE).

Tony Baird, Vodafone technology director, says the company is thrilled to be offering these opportunities to young New Zealanders.

“We're delighted to partner with the Christchurch Polytechnic and NZSE to support kiwis into the workforce. Vodafone's committed to growing our own talent and these scholarships are a way to bridge the gap between education and the business world,” he says.

Vodafone has an existing apprenticeship programme, and the scholarships will further boost the success of the programme.

Up to eight scholarships will be offered to school leavers and the programme will be focussed on young people who would not typically pursue tertiary education or be able to afford the fees.

“We have had two successful cohorts of apprentices, and always aim to improve our apprenticeship model. We learned that while young people are eager to learn, school leavers needed more theoretical knowledge in their toolkit to truly excel in the world of telecommunications” says Baird.

Students will complete two years of study, financially supported by Vodafone. On top of this they will have opportunities to experience the work place, with access to Vodafone mentors, work experience placements and educational projects.

At the end of the study period, some students may be offered a role as an apprentice, where they will rotate across Vodafone's various technology teams at the head office in Auckland or at the new Innovation Centre in Christchurch.

To apply for a scholarship, students must be:

Eligible to enrol with the provider with a minimum of NCEA level 2 with Mathematics; Science and English;
A New Zealand Citizen;
A recent New Zealand school leaver;
Aged between 17 and 21 years old

Applications are now open and scholarships will be awarded in February 2016. Enrolments will be received through the institutions direct.