THE RTA RURAL ENGINEERING SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

UTS:Engineering, in conjunction with the RTA, are introducing the RTA Rural Engineering Scholarship Program in 2007. This program offers 20 scholarships to outstanding recent school leavers* who live in rural or regional NSW** and who are offered a place in the Bachelor of Engineering, Diploma in Engineering Practice (BE DipEngPrac). The scholars must major in one of the following^:
> Civil Engineering
> Civil (Construction) Engineering
> Civil (Structural) Engineering
> Civil (Materials) Engineering

> Civil (Water) Engineering
> Civil & Environmental Engineering

Through this scholarship program, UTS:Engineering and the RTA are committed to giving students in rural and
regional NSW the opportunity to study engineering, along with the benefit of completing the two industry-based
learning segments (internships) of the BE DipEngPrac with the RTA in their home towns or rural locations in NSW.

THE RTA

The RTA is the NSW State Government agency responsible for:

- Managing 3,000km of national highways, 14,000km of state roads and 3,000km of regional and local roads.

- Nearly 5,000 bridges, tunnels and vehicular ferries

- Improving road safety

- Testing and licensing drivers and registering and inspecting vehicles

The RTA employs skilled staff from engineers, project managers and environmental scientists to customer service officers and communication specialists. For more information, visit www.rta.com.au

VALUE OF THE SCHOLARSHIP

Financial

The value of each RTA Rural Engineering Scholarship is $48,000 tax free over the five years of the BE DipEngPrac. As a scholar you will receive $8,000 in the first year and $10,000 every year thereafter up until and including the 5th year of the course. Payment of the scholarship is subject to you achieving a minimum of a credit grade average with no failed subjects for the duration of the scholarship.

Relationships

The real value of an RTA Rural Engineering Scholarship is the opportunity for you to meet, establish links and develop a relationship with the RTA. Establishing links early on in your degree can help you secure a professional engineering position with the RTA before you graduate.

You will also have the opportunity to network with other UTS:Engineering scholars through events such as scholarship forums, trivia nights, BBQs and Afternoon Teas.

Employment

The BE DipEngPrac incorporates two periods of engineering internship with theory based learning giving you a year's worth of experience before you graduate. Considering UTS:Engineering graduate employment rates continue to be higher than the national average^^, an RTA Rural Engineering Scholarship from UTS can drive your career further.

CRITERIA

To apply, you need to:

> be a recent school leaver*
> be an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident
> meet the admission requirements for the BE DipEngPrac
> have a permanent address in rural or regional NSW**
> be willing to complete two six-month periods of internship with the RTA in rural or regional NSW

APPLICATION

Applications for 2007 have closed.

INTERVIEW

Applications are shortlisted by a panel of staff from UTS:Engineering and the RTA. Students who are shortlisted will be invited to attend an interview in mid to late November. It is important that you are available during this time as interviews cannot be re-scheduled and attendance at your interview is essential if you are to be considered for a scholarship. Interviews will be conducted in regional areas of NSW or at UTS as appropriate.

IMPORTANT DATES

> Closing date for scholarship applications is the same as the UAC on-time applications

> Interviews will be held mid to late November. These cannot be rescheduled so make sure you are available

> Provisional offers are usually made in December 2006. Confirmation of provisional offers are made after notification of HSC results

For more information about Scholarships, contact:

Engineering Outreach

Phone : (02) 9514 2666
Email: engineering@uts.edu.au

*Recent school-leavers are Australian citizens or permanent residents of Australia who have not yet been enrolled in higher education and who will either complete a Year 12 examination at school or TAFE in 2006 or who completed a Year 12 examination at school or TAFE in 2005. Higher education does not refer to previous TAFE or Open Learning Australia studies. These students will need to have had a Universities Admission Index (UAI) or Limited UAI or equivalent calculated from the results of these examinations.

**The Australian Bureau of Statistics Australian Standards Geographical Classification (ASGC) Remoteness Areas 2001 classification will be used as a guide for this definition, with all those living in NSW but not included in the classification ‘Major Cities of Australia’ being defined as coming from a rural or regional area of NSW.

^Other majors may be considered but not guaranteed.

^^Source: 2005 Graduate Destination Survey conducted by the Graduate Careers Council of Australia.