Gordon Cairns and Woolworths Group launch an all-inclusive, national First Nations scholarship with UTS.
Pictured left to right: Maree Graham UTS, Cassandra Tratt Woolworths Group, Clint Johnson Woolworths Group.
A new approach to First Nations scholarships has been philanthropically supported by Gordon Cairns and Woolworths Group.
The newly-launched scholarship is designed to power the next generation of leaders whilst making university stress-free.
The recipient will have their UTS undergraduate tuition fees covered, plus $20,000 per year for living expenses, and career opportunities with Woolworths Group.
The scholarship will be awarded months earlier than usual providing enormous peace of mind to students. This new timing aims to attract students who may think university is out of reach, are still undecided, or may never have thought of university before. It will be available to First Nations school leavers and mature age students from around Australia.
Currently, First Nations students make up just 2.06% of domestic university enrolments nationally, well below population parity, as census data reveals that 3.8% of the population is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
The significance of scholarships becomes increasingly important when it comes to attracting students, with the benefits of undertaking tertiary study clear.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, people with a bachelor degree currently earn a median weekly wage of $1,500, while those who don’t earn a median wage of $934 a week. This gap accelerates over time, with graduates seeing an 88% increase in their salary in the decade after they finish their degree.
Yet more needs to be done to attract First Nations students to University as well as support their successful completion.
The impact of a scholarship can be life changing for entire families and communities benefiting multiple generations to come. Knowing you have a scholarship in place as early as possible can be the ultimate encouragement needed to start.
The Federal Government's recent commitment to increasing the proportion of First Nations people aged 25–34 years with tertiary qualifications underscores the urgency for bold initiatives and creating an environment where Indigenous students can flourish.
Woolworths Group pride themselves on their social purpose and values, actively supporting the Uluru Statement from the Heart and calling for a First Nations Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Constitution. Recently, Woolworths took a lead role in supporting UTS's ground-breaking initiative to establish a national First Nations College, Indigenous designed and led. The college will be the first of its kind in Australia.
Cassandra Tratt, Ugarapul Woman and Indigenous Employment and Team Experience Lead Woolworths Group, said, "We believe in the power of education and the transformative impact it can have on someone's life. This scholarship is designed to support First Nations individuals who have the potential to achieve greatness but may not have considered pursuing higher education. We want to remove obstacles, encourage dreams, and foster positive change. Everyone has the potential to be a trailblazer, a CEO, or a catalyst for positive social change.
“By providing access to quality education and a supportive environment, we hope to empower students to create positive ripples of change in their lives and communities. With 200,000 employees and over 4,500 First Nations team members, we employ food scientists, engineers, lawyers, marketers, IT professionals and procurement specialists, there are countless opportunities for a career at Woolworths Group,” said Cass.
Maree Graham, Director Indigenous Students and Community Engagement at Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research, shared insights on how the collaboration between Woolworths Group and UTS challenged the conventional approach to scholarships, creating something which would attract students who needed the additional peace of mind early on.
“We deeply value the co-creation of initiatives like this as it opens up incredible career opportunities with values driven industry leaders. Not only that, when a student arrives at UTS we have the comprehensive support network and pastoral care of the Jumbunna Institute to help students truly succeed in their studies” says Maree.
Applications for the Scholarship are now open and close on Monday 13th November 2023.
The successful applicant will be notified in December 2023, months before the 2024 Autumn session starts.
If you are a First Nations student in Year 12 or a mature-aged student aspiring to attend university, we invite you to follow your ambitions and apply for this life-changing scholarship.