General News
8 January, 2025
BEST OF 2024: NSW Farmers rural scholarships for locals
Two young central west women have received support for their careers through the NSW Farmers Tertiary Scholarships program.
First published July 31, 2024.
Two young central west women have received support for their careers through the NSW Farmers Tertiary Scholarships program. Each year, NSW Farmers awards five tertiary scholarships to regional students, supporting university and vocational training in fields relevant to regional and rural NSW.
Recipients applied with their own initiative in early June before a later interview for those shortlisted. Recipients were announced at the start of July and awarded as part of the NSW Farmers Annual Conference held across last week in Sydney. Two women local to the central west region received a scholarship this year. Jennifer Corderoy from Narromine received the John White Memorial Scholarship, and Gulargambone’s Ellie Peart received the Alan Chapman Memorial Scholarship.
Jennifer is a rural science student interested in pursuing a career in agriculture within the region. She hopes to use the funds from her scholarship to pursue work experience opportunities around NSW, with a particular focus on working in a variety of cotton valleys. According to Jennifer, agriculture has been a part of her life since she was young, and it’s a career she has always found herself drawn towards. To her, working in agriculture is more than a job, it’s also a lifestyle.
“Receiving a scholarship from NSW Farmers has provided me with the necessary funds to do further work experience while I study, applying my textbooks to the field and learning much more on-the-job,” Jennifer said. “Ag is really learnt on the job and that’s really reflected in this scholarship. I want to get experience to supplement my learning. I’m from the central west in cotton… I’m hoping to get some experience in different cotton valleys. My scholarship will cover my travel costs like accommodation and transport. I want to give thanks and my gratitude [to NSW Farmers] for being awarded this scholarship, and to the community that has supported me. The support by NSW Farmers has put me in a position to now one day be able to help someone else get a start in the industry and I think that’s crucial to building our farming communities and getting more involved in ag careers.”
Gulargambone local Ellie Peart is a second-year nursing student who hopes to support rural communities with her career. Like Jennifer, she plans to use her scholarship to fund travel fees to support work experience. The NSW Farmers scholarship has given her the financial security she needs to pursue rural placements with peace of mind. In the coming months, Ellie is looking forward to a nursing placement in Lightning Ridge.
“A rural community is made of more than just farmers,” Ellie said. “This year there was another VET [vocational education and training] recipient, and there have been health recipients in the past. I think it's amazing that [NSW Farmers] are able to give scholarships to such a wide range of students.” Ellie chose nursing as a career because of her passion to meet people and help people, especially in the rural communities she grew up in. This was Ellie’s first involvement with NSW Farmers, but now she says she is eager to continue her membership into the future.
Each recipient of the NSW Farmers Tertiary Scholarship also received a year-long membership with NSW Young Farmers for networking opportunities, which both Jennifer and Ellie say they are very grateful for, and looking forward to. NSW Farmers rural affairs committee Chair Deb Charlton said this year’s recipients have all shown great potential in their chosen fields.
“These students have shown a clear commitment to their studies, and I have no doubt each and every one of our recipients has the potential to make a real difference within regional communities through their chosen career. As an industry body, we have a responsibility to open doors and provide opportunities for the talented next generation coming through.”
