Ben Chifley Scholarship
Thirty Scholarships are available for 1st, 2nd and 3rd year apprentices from country NSW. The Scholarships will be awarded by the Premier of NSW at the beginning of each year, commencing in 2009. Each Scholarship is valued at $5,000 for each year while the apprentice is completing their apprenticeship up to a maximum of $15,000. At least two of the Scholarships will be awarded to people of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background each year.
Who is Eligible
Apprentices who live and work in country NSW and are Australian citizens are eligible to be nominated. See the Guidelines for full eligibility criteria.
How to Nominate
Apprentices have to be nominated by their employer and trade teacher or registered training organisation. If you employ an apprentice or you’re a trade teacher and know an apprentice who has aptitude for their trade but needs some financial help, contact one of our offices and ask for a nomination form and booklet outlining the Ben Chifley Scholarship Guidelines.
Assessment Criteria
Scholarships will be awarded on the basis of:
- hardship
- aptitude for vocational education and training, and
- the nominee’s trade in an identified skill shortage area in NSW and/or the nominee’s local area.
About the Assessment Criteria
Any relevant evidence can be provided to demonstrate hardship and aptitude – it’s solely up to the apprentice, the employer and trade teacher.
For example:
- "hardship" could take into account issues such as financial circumstances, family situation (eg carer status) and/or generational unemployment. Equity criteria could also be used to demonstrate hardship eg Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background, people with a disability, mature-aged people
- "aptitude" for vocational education and training could be demonstrated by past performance in the apprenticeship, participation in trade skills competitions, references from employers attesting to the nominee’s skills, school results or assessments in trade subjects, examples of the nominee’s work, level of experience
- skills shortage areas are those trade occupations identified in the National Skills Needs List available at www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au
Please contact one of our offices and discuss your nomination.
Nominations Close
For apprentices who will be in their 2nd or 3rd year in 2009 nominations close on 31 March 2009. For learners who will be in the first year of their apprenticeship in 2009 nominations close on 31 May 2009.
Winners will be announced by the Premier of NSW and State Training Services will notify successful nominees in writing.
