Westland - Winners of 2012 University Scholarships

Westland Milk Products Announces Winners of 2012 University Scholarships

Westland Milk Products (Westland) is delighted to announce the successful applicants of this year’s 2012 University Scholarship Programme.

Westland Milk Products chief executive Rod Quin says the company was impressed with the calibre of the applicants and congratulated all the students who took the time to enter the scholarship programme.

“This year’s successful applicants have shown a commitment to their education. We wish them well with their studies and we look forward to providing ongoing support for them,” Quin says.

The purpose of the Westland Milk Products’ University Scholarship Programme is to encourage and support West Coast students in tertiary education, and deliver future employment and economic benefits to the region.

As part of a new initiative within the Scholarship Programme, departmental managers at Westland Milk Products have been assigned to mentor the successful students should they require any assistance throughout their university studies.

Successful recipients receive $3,000 per year for the duration of their chosen University studies (three years) and are offered guaranteed holiday work at Westland Milk Products during the summer holidays from November to February. Full employment at Westland Milk Products is offered after graduation, subject to a position being available.

This year, four outstanding West Coast students have been chosen to receive the 2012 awards. They are:
Harrison Jones –studying a Bachelor of Commerce (Agricultural Management) at Lincoln University
Georgia Robb –studying a Bachelor of Commerce at Victoria University
Jessica Hamilton –studying a Bachelor of Science at Canterbury University (Biology/Chemistry)
Zak Hamilton –studying a Bachelor of Engineering at Canterbury University

The above recipients have been chosen from a selection of 21 applicants. The identities of the applicants remain anonymous to the judging panel throughout the assessment and evaluation process.

Jessica Hamilton, who recently returned from a year-long AFS exchange to Serbia, is looking forward to beginning her exciting and challenging degree at Canterbury University and gain more experience at Westland. “Westland Milk Products is a diverse and successful company that I would be proud to represent,” she says.

Jessica’s brother Zak Hamilton, who finished high school at the same time as Jessica due to her year away, is also a successful scholarship applicant. Zak says he was “absolutely over the moon” he had won the scholarship. “This is not just a monetary scholarship. It is an opportunity to start a career in a company I want to work with,” he says.

For Georgia Robb, winning the scholarship was hard to believe at first. Georgia has chosen to study International Business and Marketing at Victoria University because she is passionate about the dairy industry. “Westland Milk Products is an exciting forward thinking and innovative company,” she says.

Harrison Jones, studying Agricultural Management at Lincoln University, says, “I was overwhelmed that I had received the scholarship as I know how well contested it is.”

At the end of 2011 Westland Milk Products had 6 other students in the Scholarship Programme. There are a further 6 previous scholarship holders who have graduated and now work permanently for the company.

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