Beca’s Canterbury scholarship programme for young engineers

23 September, 2011

Beca’s University of Canterbury scholarship programme for young engineers rewards excellence in challenging times

Overcoming earthquake-related disruptions to studies has been part of the stand-out qualities which led seven engineering students from the University of Canterbury to be recognised this week with the award of the 2011 Beca Engineering in Society Scholarships.

The scholarships from engineering consultancy Beca recognise students’ potential to contribute to the future of the engineering profession in New Zealand and this year’s winners join an elite group of past recipients who have appreciated the financial prize.

Beca Regional Manager South Island Craig Price says, “Each student coped well in these challenging times in Canterbury and a number of them contributed to the recovery of the Christchurch community through helping in such efforts as the Student Volunteer Army clean-up and other support groups.

“There is now also the very real opportunity for these young professionals to play a tangible role in the future redevelopment of our city, community and region or contribute to helping other cities manage and minimise the impacts of natural disasters such as we have experienced,” he says.

“The high calibre of this year’s winners shows that the future of the engineering profession is in good hands,” Price says.

For 21 years Beca has fostered the industry and endorsed excellence among young engineers by rewarding their academic success, cultural and sporting achievements and community involvement.

The scholarships take into account academic results, communication skills, leadership qualities, contribution to university and community activities and the candidate’s potential to add value to the engineering profession.

“Beca looks forward to continuing to acknowledge and reward academic excellence and leadership among our engineers of the future,” he says.

The winners in their final professional year of the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) degree receive $3000 each. They are:

• Nigel Cleland from Hokowhitu, Palmerston North
• Georgia Whitla from Avonhead, Christchurch
• Jennifer Dickson from Urenui, north Taranaki
• Varun Joshi from Paparangi, Wellington

The winners in their second professional year each receive $2000. They are:

• Christina Bell from Khandallah, Wellington
• Cameron Belliss from St Albans, Christchurch
• Samuel Corbett-Davies from Taradale, Napier

“I found the process of reviewing the scholarship applications very inspiring,” says the Dean of Engineering and Forestry Dr Shayne Gooch.

“These students are well-rounded individuals who will make significant contributions to the profession in the future. They are not only strong academically, they have impressive sports and community achievements,” he says.

“They are obviously enjoying their studies and they are passionate about becoming engineers.”

The Canterbury earthquakes provided some unique learning experiences for both staff and students. At the beginning of the year the first few weeks of study were held at offsite locations. This created an ‘engineering camp’ culture which resulted in positive interactions between staff and students. These were experiences the College of Engineering intends to build on in the future, Gooch says.

“From an academic veiwpoint, overall our students have performed as well or better than in a normal year. We are very proud of our students’ involvement in community initiatives such as the Student Volunteer Army. This year students have had a unique experience, one which will put them in good stead for their future careers,” he says.

The Dean acknowledged Beca’s continued generosity in providing financial assistance to students through the scholarship programme.

As well as the Engineering in Society Scholarship programme at the University of Canterbury, Beca bestows a variety of prizes each year at the University of Auckland, the University of Waikato and Auckland University of Technology.

“One of Beca’s core values is partnerships and long-term relationships. The scholarship programme is a special way to foster our industry and endorse excellence in the College of Engineering at the University of Canterbury,” says Price.

About Beca

Established in 1918, Beca is New Zealand’s largest employee-owned engineering consultancy, employing over 2,500 staff in seven countries. Headquartered in Auckland, Beca operates from three market hubs: New Zealand, Australia, and Singapore.

Beca works in four key sectors: industrial, infrastructure, buildings and public services. Beca’s range of services includes project management, planning, engineering, architecture, surveying, cost estimating, asset management and valuations.

For more information, www.beca.com

ENDS

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