Peter Westblade Scholarship 2018 open to Wool Industry Enthusiasts
7/12/2017
The sheep and wool industry is no longer one that is being pioneered by older folk. The younger generation is now highly interested and passionate about the industry as well. Young people now want to make a difference in this industry, and they are being encouraged to apply for the 2018 Peter Westblade Scholarship.
The sheep and wool industry is no longer one that is being pioneered by older folk. The younger generation is now highly interested and passionate about the industry as well. Young people now want to make a difference in this industry, and they are being encouraged to apply for the 2018 Peter Westblade Scholarship.This prestigious award enters its seventh year and provides an opportunity for young people in every aspect of the wool and sheep industry. The scholarship is open to persons between the ages of 18 and 30 years and was offered in honour of the late Peter Westblade. Westblade was a very passionate Lockhart sheep producer and also a supporter of young people in the field of agriculture. The recipient for 2018 will receive practical training, mentoring from leaders in the industry, travel, involvement in one of the most significant commercial genetic trials in the industry and an opportunity to network with key contacts in the industry.
The winners of the 2017 scholarship were Rachael Gawne and Harrison Mulquiny. They were joint recipients pulled from the pool of national applicants.
Racheal Gawne is 22 years old and the holder of an animal science degree from Charles Sturt University in Wagga. She works in the sheep industry with consultant Sally Martin.
Harrison Mulquiny is a 21-year-old from Wooroonook in Victoria. He has interest in the way different Merion bloodlines can perform in differing conditions of the environment.
Georgie McGuiness, the executive officer, notes that the purpose of the scholarship is to help provide young people in agriculture with the hands-on involvement they need. It is geared towards those who want to have a career in the sheep and wool industry and offers them a tailored experience over the span of a year. The scholarship opens a door for young people in the industry who would have found it difficult otherwise to meet with the contacts and have the experience that is provided by the scholarship.
Mrs McGuiness can be quoted as saying “It provides hands-on education and mentoring for young participants while rubbing shoulders with leaders in various fields of the sheep and wool industry.’’ She notes that the scholarship will encourage young people by helping to see the different career paths they can find within the sheep and wool industry. By exposing them to these opportunities, they can indeed find the niche that they are most passionate about and thereby will be able to be their most impactful selves.
If you are interested in the 2018 Peter Westblade Scholarship you have until December 29th, 2017 at 5 pm to apply. This is when applications close off. The shortlisted applicant list should be made by the middle of January 2018, and the interviews should be conducted by an industry panel in February of 2018. If you or a loved one between the ages of 18 and 30 years old has a passion for agriculture and more so the sheep and wool industry, you should consider applying.
