10 September 2020    Eleven students interested in a career in the red meat industry have recently spent a day in Wellington learning about the sector.

Every year, the Meat Industry Association (MIA) offers a number of undergraduate and post-graduate scholarships, worth $5,000 and $10,000 respectively, to encourage young people in studies that meet the wide range of opportunities that the industry can offer as a career.

The students from across the country heard from those starting out in their careers and expert speakers on a range of industry topics including trade, food safety, nutrition, science and engineering.

Sirma Karapeeva, chief executive of the MIA, said the visit to Wellington was part of a mentoring and networking support programme that MIA has developed for the scholars.

“The initiative was a great opportunity for potential future leaders of the industry to meet and hear from the organisations that take New Zealand’s red meat to the world.

“Many of our scholars are already making a valuable contribution to the industry through research projects or undertaking part-time work.

“Our scholars are studying across many different fields. The industry offers a wide-range of opportunities and needs highly skilled people, from food sciences and engineering, through to environmental science, international marketing, process design and many other disciplines.

“MIA scholars are an enthusiastic group of young people, passionate about their areas of study and research and this was a great opportunity for them to network and learn more about the sector to help them decide the direction of their future careers.”

The speakers were from a range of organisation including the Ministry for Primary Industries, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Beef + Lamb NZ, AgResearch and Taylor Preston.

The scholars visited Wellington on September 8

The 2020 scholars are:

  • Teegan Cosgrove from Wellington, studying for a Bachelor of Engineering degree at Massey in Palmerston North
  • Jack Moncton from Rangitikei, studying for a Bachelor of Commerce at Victoria University in Wellington and works part-time for Taylor Preston Limited
  • Valencia Ngadi, from Auckland, studying for a Bachelor of Food Technology degree at Massey, Albany
  • Holly Phillips, from Wellington, studying for her PhD in Animal Science at Massey University, Palmerston North and works for PGG Wrightson
  • Tessa Strang from Whanganui, studying for a Bachelor of Agribusiness degree at Lincoln University
  • Thomas Sun from Palmerston North, studying for a Bachelor of Food Technology at Massey University, Palmerston North
  • Harriet Watson, from Christchurch, studying for a Bachelor of Agribusiness degree at Lincoln University and works full time at ANZCO Foods Limited
  • Edwin Wills, from King Country, studying for a Bachelor of Agricultural Commerce degree at Massey University, Palmerston North
  • Ella Zwagerman, from Invercargill, studying Bachelor of Science (Human Nutrition) at Otago University
  • Sam Pike from Palmerston North, who is studying for a post-graduate diploma in Animal science and agriculture at Massey University in Palmerston North
  • Jennifer Kwan from Christchurch, studying for her PHD at Lincoln University in Christchurch and works part-time for Silver Fern Farms

Scholars who did not make it for the event

  • Joshua Kirk from Rakaia River Valley, studying for Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree at Lincoln University
  • Thomas Walshe, from Hunterville, studying for a Bachelor of Veterinary Science at Massey University, Palmerston North
  • Ben Schilt from Christchurch, who has just finished his commerce degree at Lincoln and works full time for ANZCO Foods Limited
  • Victoria Huh from Auckland, who is studying for her post-graduate diploma in Human Resource Management at AUT in Auckland

MIA is now inviting applications for its 2021 programme.

For more details on MIA scholarships, please see www.mia.co.nz.

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