Smiles of success from students Neil Alombro, Mount Hutt College (centre) and Marshall Ashton, Ashburton College, winners of $2000 scholarships, awarded by EA Networks chairman Phil McKendry. Photo Sue Newmant’s every student’s dream, being handed a job opportunity before you’ve completed your course of study.

And thanks to EA Networks, graduating Year 13 students, Marshall Ashton (Ashburton College) and Neil Alombro (Mount Hutt College), have each received a $2000 boost to their bank accounts and the option of holiday employment and employment prospects post study.

The pair received their scholarship certificates this week from EA Networks board chair Phil McKendry and when the university year begins, Marshall will be heading off to Victoria Univerisity to study computer science and computer graphics, while Neil heads to Canterbury University to study engineering.

Part of the scholarship deal is the offer of holiday employment and the possibility of employment on graduation.

Marshall has been on the holiday payroll for the past 18 months and Neil said he was keen to look at job opportunities until university started.

A scholarship winner who understands the value of working in an industry that’s linked to your course of study is one of last year’s winners Harrison Hyde.

Before heading to university he worked in EA Networks IT department and has returned to that job each holiday break.

He’s studying towards a Bachelor if ICCT and said working at EA Networks gave him a good understanding of the practical application of his studies.

“Yes, it was good that I got the money, but there was a real advantage to getting some real experience on the ground and knowing how relationships were built.

“And I’ve been able to come back to EA and talk about my studies,” he said.

In presenting the scholarships, McKendry said they were established in 1996 to mark the lines company’s 75th birthday and had continued to be awarded annually to one or more students.

Those scholarships were made to students who excelled in areas that were related to EA Networks’ business such as ITC and engineering.

As a company, EA Networks was consumer owned and it supported the future of the Ashburton District, he said.

“We want to see it grow and progress, we’re about sustaining our community.

“Our job is to keep the lights on and the web connected.”

The company was now about far more than poles and power lines, however, McKendry said, with the bulk of its 130 staff employed in the areas of engineering or IT.

Across its divisions it had about $300 million worth of assets and very low debt.

The real value of the company, however, was the people it employed and the investment it made in them, he said.

By Sue Newman © The Ashburton Guardian - 17 December 2020