Two Taranaki university students have benefited from scholarships. Photo/ Unsplash
Two Taranaki university students have benefited from scholarships. Photo/ Unsplash
Two Taranaki university students are furthering their careers in the red meat processing and exporting sector with the help of scholarships.
Every year, the Meat Industry Association (MIA) awards a number of undergraduate ($5000 per year) and postgraduate ($10,000 per year) scholarships. The organisation currently has a total of 21scholars, with 14 existing scholars also continuing to receive support under the scheme.
Chloe Lennox, 20, from Waverley was one of seven New Zealanders to receive a scholarship from the Meat Industry Association.
The scholarship has helped her to continue her studies at Lincoln University.
"I'm in my third and final year of studying a Bachelor of Agri-Business and Food Marketing."
Growing up on a sheep and beef farm, Chloe knew from a young age she wanted to get a degree in the primary sector.
"It's what I've always been interested in."
For the past two years, she has worked at Silver Fern Farms during the school holidays. It was here that she developed a passion for the red meat processing and exporting sector.
"My degree is very broad and leads to many different paths. But after working at Silver Fern Farms I knew I wanted to carry on the red meat path. This scholarship has been great and helped me get my foot in the door in a career I'm passionate about."
Grace Macdonald, 22, from Inglewood, has also benefited from a Meat Industry Association scholarship.
"I received the scholarship in 2020 and have held in from then until this year."
MIA chief executive Sirma Karapeeva. Photo/ Supplied
In 2020 Grace studied an undergrad Bachelor of Agri-Business and Food Marketing at Lincoln University.
Last year she completed her Masters in Management and Agri-Business, specialising in Land and Economic Environment.
"I went to Lincoln University and ended up falling in love with agriculture and livestock."
This year she is completing postgraduate studies in Sustainable Business Strategy at Harvard Business School via distance learning. While she completes this, she works at ANZCO Foods Corporate Office in Christchurch.
"The Meat Industry Association got me a summer internship at ANZCO Foods working with the head of climate change and sustainability on a processor collaboration project that met with the He Waka Eka Noa milestones by designing a greenhouse gas calculator."
Last year Grace worked at ANZCO Foods part-time as a sustainability coordinator and this year moved to a fulltime role.
"I'm very grateful I've been given a head start in my career and a foot in the door with a multibillion-dollar company."
MIA chief executive Sirma Karapeeva says the range of subjects being studied by the new and returning scholars reflects the many different career opportunities across the red meat processing and export sector.
"As New Zealand's largest manufacturing industry, there is a vast range of different roles and strong pathways for career progression available. The industry has a strong focus on attracting skilled people and supporting the development of those who can make a significant contribution to the sector in the future."
