TAFE Gippsland is pleased to announce its continued partnership with Esso Australia, Gippsland with extended scholarships open for students based at one of its Sale campuses.

Dylan Pugh, ExxonMobil Chair and Ashia Dawson, Paul Buckley and Laura Macpherson

L-R: ExxonMobil Chair Dylan Pugh, TAFE Gippsland student and scholarship recipient Ashia Dawson, TAFE Gippsland Chair Paul Buckley and  CEO Laura Macpherson.

Esso is generously providing $300,000 for TAFE Gippsland to allocate to scholarships over the next 10 years, for students who live or work in the Wellington shire and study in Sale. The scholarships can be used for costs such as travel, placement accommodation, payment of fees or to purchase equipment such as tools or laptops.

TAFE Gippsland chief executive officer, Laura Macpherson, said the donation from Esso would allow an extension of the scholarship program from current students to potential students applying to study.

“This latest round of scholarships will be open to current students and those who are applying to study at TAFE Gippsland in Sale, which we hope will further incentivise those contemplating further vocational training to make that step,” she said.

“TAFE Gippsland has been delivering learning training solutions for the energy providers of Gippsland for many years and are now at the forefront of supporting industry to transition to new energy technologies.”

ExxonMobil Australia Chair, Dylan Pugh, highlighted the importance of ensuring the local community has access to the skills they need, for the job they want for a rewarding career.

“Gippsland has an enduring connection to the energy industry and as a proud member of the community for over 50 years, we are eager to boost the educational development of the many highly skilled workers in the Wellington shire,” he said.

“This scholarship program will allow the local community to re-skill for a secure and rewarding job in in-demand areas.

“Building strong and effective community relationships is an essential element to our business and we’re thankful for the opportunity to partner with TAFE Gippsland’s new Port of Sale campus to support the local community,” Dylan concluded.