A new scholarship has been created to encourage women to studying surveying.

The Women in Surveying Scholarship, funded by surveying company Veris, is available to women studying surveying or geospatial engineering at the University of New South Wales between 1st January 2018 and 31st December 2021.

The recipient will receive $10,000 towards their course fees over four years and may be invited by Veris to undertake a 10 – 12 week industrial training placement.

To be eligible, applicants need to be female, have completed their HSC and be enrolled in either the Bachelor of Engineering (Surveying) (Honours) or a Bachelor of Engineering (Geospatial) (Honours) at UNSW.

The scholarship will be awarded based on personal qualities such as school involvement and leadership, academic merit, aptitude and commitment to a career in engineering, and an interest in doing work experience with Veris. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview.

This scholarship is just one way surveying firms are endeavouring to encourage women to pursue what has historically been a male dominated profession. There are currently only 25 female Registered Land Surveyors and 13 female Candidate Land Surveyors in New South Wales. However, this number is on the rise, with many surveying firms advocating for a more balanced workplace.

NSW Surveyor General, Narelle Underwood is also seeking to inspire women to pursue a career in surveying. To women considering a STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) career she said, “Just do it… A qualification in STEM will allow you to develop skills that will prepare you for a career that the world hasn’t even realised it needs yet.”

Applications for the Veris Women in Surveying Scholarship are now open and close on 30 September 2017. Visit the UNSW website for details.