School of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences
Department of Civil Engineering and Physical Sciences
Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal/Pratt Water
Civil Engineering Cadetships
(Murrumbidgee River Catchment Project)
Introduction
There is a current and growing shortage of civil engineers in Australia, particularly in rural areas in NSW. Engineers
Australia has recently also indicated that Australia lags behind other OECD nations, where on average 13 per cent of
university graduates qualified in engineering (Australia ranked 24th out of 28 OECD countries on this measure). Australia's
average is 7.9 per cent, well behind nations like Japan, Korea and the whole of the European Union.
Employment statistics (including earnings and job prospects) for civil engineers are available on the Australian Government
JobSearch site.
This new and innovative cadetship program seeks to provide civil engineers trained to meet the significant, urgent and
unmet demand for specialists in the fields of environmental and water management.
The Program
Employer-partners and prospective students in communities in the Murrumbidgee Basin are invited to apply for grant monies
towards the cost of an undergraduate degree in civil engineering to be undertaken at La Trobe University's Bendigo campus.
Students will return to their communities both during and on-completion of their studies to undertake employment with their
respective employer-partner.
The program incorporates a 3-way relationship between:
- The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR)/ Pratt Foundation
- Employer-partners
- La Trobe University Bendigo Campus, Department of Civil Engineering.
Each student is contracted to remain under the employment of the employer-partner organisation for a period of two years,
following the successful completion of studies.
A total of ten civil engineering cadetships will be offered to student / industry partnerships over a period of six and
half years. Each cadetship will have a value of up to $11,000 per annum composed of a $3000 contribution from FRRR and Pratt
Foundation and $2,000 from the applicable industry partner.
Benefits
The benefits to each successful applicant are as follows:
- financial support in the form of a $5,000 scholarship per year for the duration of the course,
- fully-paid vacation work experience during each year of the course ($6000 per year, approximate),
- option of including a year of work experience at standard rates ($26,000-$32,000) with the partner before the final year of study for the degree,
- access to career mentoring advice from the industry partner, and
- a guaranteed place in the University residences if desired.
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