The Ngāti Rārua Ātiawa Iwi Trust’s education grant and scholarship funding programme is now open for applications for 2017, and as with each year, we open applications for 3 months to NRAIT owners who meet the criteria for each grant.

Our aim is to make education accessible for all owners and to prepare our children and young people to become employable adults with skills that will benefit them and society. So rather than just focusing on tertiary education, we also offer grants towards trades training, adult education, and study assistance for primary and secondary students.

A big focus for us now however, and into the future, is also developing people to work in key industries where Aotearoa is currently lacking a younger workforce, such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). We encourage our owners, who are about to enter tertiary education, to consider these areas of study, and explore our funding options to support them throughout their education journey.

Business management and other related subjects are also an important focus area for us to continue the entrepreneurial legacy of our tūpuna. These skills are also important for the Trust, as we need to continue bringing new talent, with the right skills and experience, on board to drive the organisation forward.

However, if you’re looking to take the next step in learning te reo, learning a trade, or any other adult education programme, the grants are available to help you achieve this.    

We are pleased with the success of our education funding recipients last year, and we look forward to supporting more of our owners in their studies.

Applications are now open, and can only be done online. These must be completed by 31 August 2017. If you have questions about the application process, please contact Nichola Dixon at info@nrait.co.nz.

Rōpata Taylor