Zenith Energy has chosen two Murdoch University students as the inaugural recipients of its engineering scholarship aimed to encourage more women into STEM.
Tamitha Zwaanenburg and Casey Slattery were among the first to receive Zenith Energy’s Women in Engineering Technology Scholarship, which will help more women pursue careers in renewable energy and power generation.
The scholarship provides up to AU$20,000 in financial support along with mentorship, a paid internship and potential for full-time employment.
Zenith Energy Managing Director Hamish Moffat said it was crucial to have more initiatives that encouraged women to choose a career in engineering.
“Putting engineering on the radar for more girls and young women, and then supporting their study and career goals, is fundamental in driving future innovation in our industry,” Moffat said.
“A more gender-diverse workforce goes beyond equity and equal opportunity; it brings fresh thinking and new ideas we needed to integrate renewables at scale and deliver the energy transition that is as much an economic imperative for Australia’s resource sector as it is an environmental one.”
Zenith Energy’s scholarship is just one initiative to help bring in a more diverse workforce to the engineering sector.
Women account for just 11 per cent of Australia’s current engineering workforce. As the mining sector moves towards renewable energy, this gender gap needs to be addressed to meet the challenges of energy transition.
In her third year of an honours degree in renewable energy resources, Zwaanenburg is studying to help mine sites switch to high-fraction renewable energy solutions.
“I want to be part of the energy transition, somewhere I can make a difference, but I also want to show other young women that they can be here too,” Zwaanenburg said.
Slattery, who is studying electrical and renewable energy engineering, said it was encouraging to see more women offered opportunities to explore the disciplines they might be more passionate about.