Media release
Ararat student on road to success
Thursday 17 September 2009
He may only be completing the second year of his civil engineering degree at La Trobe University’s Bendigo campus, but Jacob Tierney from Ararat already has one eye firmly set on the future.
A recipient of a La Trobe/GHD scholarship, Jacob is lucky enough to have found full time work long before he graduates.
GHD, one of the world’s leading engineering, architecture and consultancy firms, provided Jacob’s scholarship in partnership with La Trobe University.
The scholarship is one of 13 such awards that attempt to encourage young students from northern Victoria or southern New South Wales to study and work regionally in the field of civil engineering, something that La Trobe’s head of civil engineering, Professor Joe Petrolito believes benefits both the students and their local communities.
‘Many of our students end up working regionally so the scholarships are really meeting a great need for local businesses and communities.’
The idea of working regionally is an appealing notion for Jacob who confesses to not being the biggest fan of ‘the big smoke.’
Jacob, who will take up a full time position in Mildura once he completes his degree, receives around $1500 dollars per semester towards his HECS debt but is also eyeing off the $10,000 dollars worth of vacation work experience each year.
‘I am trying to pay my HECS off now, while I am at uni, so the scholarship will be a really big help to knock off that debt.’
He will also benefit from GHD’s mentoring program, a condition of the scholarship that will see Jacob work in the industry under the tutelage of GHD’s professional engineers.
Jacob, who took a gap year to work in a mine and as a fire fighter, admits that despite being unsure of what to expect when he enrolled in La Trobe’s Bachelor of Civil Engineering he is enjoying his course and is looking forward to a secure future with such a prestigious company.
As for anyone thinking about applying for one of La Trobe’s civil engineering scholarships Jacob’s advice is simple, especially for those who think they don’t have a good chance of being accepted for the scholarship.
‘Go for it, even if you don’t have a great record have a go.’
Applications for La Trobe’s 2010 civil engineering scholarships are open. More information is available at http://www.latrobe.edu.au/ceps/scholarships/index.html
Media Inquiries:
Zerin Knight, La Trobe University, Media Liaison, Bendigo Campus
Phone 03 5444 7375
Mobile 0428 463 161
Email z.knight@latrobe.edu.au