The SRI Scholarship program is now entering its third year of student intake thanks to the continued support by mills in SRI’s work of selecting the best and brightest engineering students to assist mills solve factory issues through significant projects.

Scholarship recipients undertake three work placements of four weeks in Australian sugar mills during crushing and maintenance seasons and also receive a bonus payment after their placement for their report, wages and allowances for each work placement.

SRI advertises the annual scholarships through Australian universities to build interest in sugar processing as a career path for mechanical, electrical, chemical and process undergraduate engineering students in their penultimate year of study.

By presenting as a united industry, SRI effectively facilitates quality work placements for students to experience operations in different factories.  For mills, the program offers access to build their workforce with engaged engineering candidates seeking future mill employment.

Sugar Research Institute has opened applications for the 2017 SRI Scholarship program awarded to students in their penultimate year of a mechanical, process, chemical or electrical engineering degree to undertake work projects in an Australian sugar mill.

For more information phone SRI Training on 07 5414 2500 or visit www.sri.org.au/sris-sugar-research-institute-scholarship/

 

Placements for SRI scholarship recipients in June/July 2017 (4 weeks)

SRI will have a total of seven students (three students are fourth year engineers (a mechanical, chemical and process) for their final placement and four students in their third year ready for their first placement.

If any mill has specific projects requiring a student from a particular discipline (mechanical, electrical, chemical, process or another area), please contact Bruce King at SRI to discuss your mill’s preferences and interest in taking a student in 2017/2018.

In addition to a defined project, mills are asked to consider the high importance of accommodation of the student to create a welcoming environment. Students to date have been accommodated in mill houses, shared or boarded with mill staff, and boarded with members of communities in their homes. This has added to the total work placement experience for each of the students. Contact SRI with your project/s.

 

SRI’s 2015 Scholarship recipients’ achievements:

The initial intake of four students in 2015 has seen them complete a variety of placements in mills in Queensland and New South Wales. Each of the students has expressed their high praise for the scholarship they received and the mentoring from the engineers they have worked with.

 “The blocks of placement were invaluable in developing me further as an engineer and helped me to gain a number of contacts within the industry. I sincerely hope that the program continues to be funded as I believe it will help to further the sugar industry immeasurably.”
– Joseph Bonassi. 

“My development as a professional engineer through this program has given me the foundation that I need to launch my career in the sugar industry” – Brendan Tabone.

What will our scholars be doing in 2017?

  • Brendan Tabone from James Cook University has gained employment as an engineer with Wilmar Sugar
  • Joseph Bonassi from James Cook University has gained employment as an engineer with Sugar Research Australia in Ingham.
  • Ben Shubert will continue at University of Adelaide to complete a PhD in harmonics and vibrations of mill rollers.
  • Jack Frame from CQUniversity Australia will complete his degree in June 2017.