Alcoa of Australia is continuing its long-running support for aspiring female engineers by extending its scholarship program.
The company was the first to initiate specific scholarships for women studying engineering at Curtin University more than a decade ago, inspiring other companies to offer similar opportunities.
Under its latest agreement with Curtin, the Alcoa Bev Corless Women in Engineering Scholarships will be offered for the next three years.
The scholarships, named in honour of a former Alcoa engineer, aim to increase the number of females in the profession while also promoting the integration of sustainability into engineering planning and design.
Previous recipient of the scholarship and current Alcoa graduate chemical engineer Katie Marshall urged students to apply.
She said the honour and financial support from the scholarship gave her a head start in her engineering career.
“Receiving the scholarship was the start of an invaluable relationship with Alcoa,” Ms Marshall said.
“It paved the way to completing my vacation work at Alcoa’s Wagerup alumina refinery, which created the opportunity to complete my thesis project with Alcoa’s Centre of Excellence.
“Now I’m back at Wagerup working as a graduate and looking forward to a long-lasting career with the company.”
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The latest one-year scholarships are valued at $5,000 each and are open to full-time female students at Curtin University enrolled in their second, third, fourth or fifth year of studies.
Eligible engineering courses include Civil and Construction, Chemical, Electrical and Electronic, Mechanical, Mechatronic, Mining, and Metallurgical.
Applicants should demonstrate academic merit, leadership skills, a passion for their course of study, and interest in fields aligned to Alcoa career opportunities.
The scholarships also provide opportunities for women to further their careers through Alcoa’s Vacation Student Program where they can get a first-hand insight into the company’s operations.
Alcoa of Australia chairman and managing director Michael Parker said the scholarships would help encourage more women to consider engineering careers at Alcoa and within the resources sector.
“My vision is for the resources sector to inspire confidence and trust in women so that they choose to actively participate in the workplace knowing they will be supported throughout every life stage of their career,” Mr Parker said.
“Women change the operational workplace in better ways.
“Diversity creates more productive and innovative environments and breaks down old myths and barriers about gender and work.”
For more information about the Bev Corless Women in Engineering scholarship, visit the Curtin University website.
Applications close on March 8, 2019.
