Power engineering students receive a funding boost

Two students from James Cook University and two from Central Queensland University were among 17 Queensland power engineering students who this week received an $8000 boost to their study fund from the Power Engineering Alliance.

The $8000 bursaries awarded to James Cook students Shane Jenkin and Benjamin Moore and Central Queensland students Roland Jarrett and Steven Lowry are part of a program to attract and retain talented young engineers to the state’s energy sector.

The bursary scheme is part of the Power Engineering Alliance’s $5 million commitment to strengthen the skills base across the state’s power industry through education, research and professional development.

Minister for Mines and Energy Geoff Wilson said the bursary recipients were starting out on a bright career path.

“This is all about bringing on new generation of skilled engineers in our power industry,” Mr Wilson said.

“Queensland’s energy industry is the second largest in Australia and the fastest-growing. We need to ensure our young power engineers develop the practical, real-world skills they need.

“Bursary recipients will also be offered valuable networking opportunities with peers and senior professionals, which will help advance their career.”

The industry event also marked the announcement of the amalgamation between the Queensland Power Engineering Alliance – an industry body supported by public and private companies involved in Queensland’s power industry - and the national body, The Australian Power Institute (API), and the launch of a website promoting the profession to senior high school students.

The API’s Chief Executive Officer, Mike Griffin, said he was pleased to be joining forces with the Power Engineering Alliance after working closely with the Queensland body since its inception in 2006.

“Both industry bodies have the identical goal of closing the professional human resources gap in power engineering, with the merge strengthening the API’s national focus and capacity to represent the industry,” Mr Griffin said.

“It made good business sense for us to team up because together our membership covers the industry’s major power players all of whom understand the long-term benefits of investing in the training and continued development of our workforce.”

“We achieve this through the bursary scheme, professional development programs, and the funding of academic salaries, university programs, facilities and research, and more recently, the development of the power engineering website.”

James Cook University Vice Chancellor and President, Professor Sandra Harding said the industry sponsored bursaries went a long way to increasing the number and quality of power engineering graduates educated at Queensland universities.

“The future is certainly bright for existing and budding power engineering professionals due to the level of support and assistance offered, and the industry’s commitment to innovation and continuous improvement,” Prof Harding said.

The bursary presentation ceremonies were aptly held at the Brisbane Powerhouse and at James Cook University in Townsville. The aspiring engineers from the University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, Central Queensland University and James Cook University were joined by industry and sponsor representatives, their families and current bursary holders.

The Power Engineering Bursary sponsors include ABB Australia, AREVA T&D, Australian Power Institute, Connell Wagner, CS Energy, ENERGEX, Ergon Energy, John Holland Power, Maunsell Australia, Parsons Brinckerhoff Power, Powerlink Queensland, Queensland Alumina Limited, Stanwell Corporation, Tarong Energy, Tenix Australia and The United Group Infrastructure. The bursaries are offered in collaboration with the Queensland University of Technology, the University of Queensland, Central Queensland University and James Cook University.

The seventeen successful students awarded today were:

Media contact: Minister’s office 3224 7332.