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Umbonowethu November 2024 6BURSARIESUSM has partnered with the SITFE (Sugar Industry Trust Fund for Education) to offer bursaries to students in their second, third and fourth year of study, followed by workplace experience at USM. %u201cW e hope that this will assist in addressing the skills shortages in the field of Engineering,%u201d said CEO Adey Wynne. USM will fund one student each year and they will be required to work back the number of years funded by USM,%u201d he said.The SITFE bursary covers the tuition fees in the first year and in the second, third and fourth year, USM will cover the tuition fees and in-service experience at the end of the graduate%u2019s course. SITFE will cover the cost of books, meals and accommodation for the student%u2019s undergraduate course throughout. Visiting USMEarly this year, a delegation from SITFE, accompanied by two eligible students, received a tour of the Mill where CEO Adey Wynne explained what could be expected at a sugar mill and the learning and growth opportunity at USM, an independentlyowned sugar mill.USM Bursaries & Workplace ExperienceFrom left: Jean Erasmus addressing the group. Centre: Gabrielle Padayachee %u2013 UKZN Engineering student and Sithembele Mkhwanazi %u2013 MUT Engineering student. Back ro Nkonzo Mhlongo %u2013 SITFE Chairperson, Adey Wynne %u2013 USM CEO, Dieter L%u00fctge %u2013 SITFE Deputy Chairperson, Johan Bester %u2013 USM Training Manager and Akhona Vovo %u2013 SASA Programme Administrator.Gabrielle Padayachee, currently studying BSc Mechanical Engineering at UKZN, and Sithembele Mkhwanazi, entering his fourth year of his National Diploma (Advanced Diploma in Mechanical Engineering) at Mangosuthu University of Technology, were both accepted onto the USM bursary programme. Welcome MkhwanaziWe look forward to welcoming Mkhwanazi, who has now completed his fourth year and will commence his practical at USM working back his one-year bursary sponsorship. We wish Padayachee all the best in completing her third and fourth year before joining USM in 2027. USM BURSARYTo qualify for the USM Bursary:%u2022 Students must have qualified for a SITFE bursary in their first year %u2022 Students must be studying Engineering Preference will be given to students from the Umfolozi catchment area who meet the criteria. Sithembele MkhwanaziSITFE BURSARY While the USM Bursary will only be awarded to students studying Engineering, SITFE looks at bursaries in the fields of Engineering, Science and Agriculture. Although the 2025 bursary applications have now closed, we encourage all interested learners to visit the SITFE website to become familiar with the requirements for applying for bursaries in future. www.sitfe.co.za