Western Sydney International airport has awarded scholarships to primary and secondary students from 18 local schools.
Among them was Wollondilly Anglican College Year 12 student Jackson Welsh (pictured above). He will access flying lessons to support his interest in aviation and pilot training.
The inaugural WSI Soaring Scholarships will support a diverse range of aviation-related educational activities including introductory flying lessons, industry certifications, aerospace and engineering projects, STEM workshops, flight simulations, drone operations, and supply chain and logistics programs.
Some students will undertake an introduction to aviation micro-credential delivered by Western Sydney University in partnership with WSI. This aviation credential has been designed to support students in preparing for jobs at WSI.
Several schools will use the funding to deliver peer-led STEM education initiatives and aviation projects, including aeronautical design challenges and a STEM careers day.
St Gregory’s College will use the scholarship to deliver a range of aviation and STEM learning opportunities for its Year 11 and 12 students.
A class of Year 12 Engineering students at Casula High will receive a comprehensive package of STEM and aviation learning, including study resources, hands-on projects, and exposure to industry and career pathways.
Simon Hickey – the CEO of WSI – said the strong response to the inaugural program highlighted the enthusiasm and talent across Western Sydney schools.
“The quality of applications for our Soaring Scholarships program demonstrates the enormous interest in Western Sydney to pursue opportunities in STEM and aviation,” he said.
“These scholarships are about helping students build confidence, skills and real-world experience, while opening doors to the many career pathways that will continue to flourish over the decades ahead.
“We will need a highly skilled local workforce to take up the approximately 8,500 jobs that are forecast across the precinct as we grow to serve up to 10 million passengers each year in the 2030s.
“We’re proud to support students from a wide range of backgrounds and communities as they take meaningful steps towards careers in aviation, engineering, logistics, technology and other future focused industries.”