Rainy Day Recruitment’s annual Aboriginal Scholarship is open to any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander in the second year of a STEM or Business degree at the University of South Australia. The recipients get $5,000 in cash and benefit from mentoring and networking opportunities. Most importantly, they are also given the chance to do several internships with Rainy Day Recruitment’s clients in industries such as engineering and ICT. By making the right connections, recipients of the scholarship can make the most of their studies while creating future opportunities to get into the career of their choice.
Jaden Jutterman from Alice Springs, a second-year student of Mechanical Engineering at UniSA, was awarded the inaugural scholarship in May. Growing up in the Australian Outback, he developed a passion for space and hopes to find a career in the defence or space industry after graduating. “I could always see so many stars in the night,” Jaden remembers, “and I thought how great it would be to go there one day or to create something that can even explore the territory outside of our own solar system.” Receiving the scholarship is a huge encouragement for Jaden: “The money helps me be financially free to focus on my studies without worrying about having to work to afford food and rent. It feels good knowing people want to see me achieve my goals and help me through it.”
But the scholarship is about much more than money. The mentoring, networking and internship opportunities that are part of it are bound do kickstart Jaden’s career aspirations. “I can do internships at different places for a couple of weeks each to get a feel for different industries and types of work, to see which ones I like,” he explains. For Reconciliation Week, he was invited to a networking breakfast where Rainy Day Recruitment introduced him to people who work in his fields of interest. “It gave me better insight into the industry, what to expect and how to improve my chances.”
For young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students like Jaden Jutterman, this annual scholarship from Rainy Day Recruitment is an invaluable opportunity to make new connections and improve their career prospects. “It’s amazing,” Jaden beams, “getting these internships with specific companies gives me a boost towards where I want to go.”