Postgraduates to get a taste of business
Seventy postgraduate students will have the opportunity to work as interns in some of New Zealand's most innovative businesses under funding decisions announced by Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce today.
Funding of $2.1 million from Vote Science and Innovation will allow 70 businesses to employ graduate students for a minimum of six months to undertake innovative research and development (R&D) work. Last year, 50 businesses were approved for funding.
“The Government’s postgraduate intern programme is highly effective for the students. They get valuable work experience in a commercial environment that will help them find suitable employment after their studies. This fits in with other work the Government is doing to improve the career opportunities of young people with an academic degree in New Zealand,” Mr Joyce says.
“Businesses tell me they greatly appreciate this support. The programme is also highly effective for companies as it helps speed up the R&D work due to the contribution of a bright, young mind with the latest knowledge and a fresh outlook.”
The programme has been altered this year in response to the skills and experience businesses are looking for to grow through R&D.
“On top of science, technology and engineering students, we now also fund students with design or marketing degrees or commercialisation experience,” Mr Joyce says.
The programme is administered by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Each company receives funding which covers the cost of hiring a postgraduate student for the first six months, up to a maximum of $30,000 (plus GST).
List of businesses approved for funding:
Auckland: AFT Pharmaceuticals, Compac Sorting Equipment Ltd, Conscious Design Limited, Crown Equipment Limited, Cubic Defence New Zealand Ltd, Database Business Solutions Ltd (Trading as Smart-Builder), Digital Sensing Limited, Dulux Powder Coatings, Electronic Company of New Zealand Ltd, EnlightENZ, Fisher & Paykel Appliances Limited, Flintfox International Limited, Flotech Services Ltd, Fujitsu New Zealand Limited, Integrated Control Technology Limited, Juice Products NZ, Mea Mobile Limited, National Aluminium Ltd, Orion Health Limited, powerbyproxi Limited, Quantum Pacific Limited, Rakon Ltd, Senztek NZ Ltd, Serato Inc LP, Step Sciences Ltd, Teknatool International, Teknique Limited, TigerTurf Limited, Tru-Test Limited, Vista Entertainment Solutions Limited, Vitaco Health (NZ) Limited, Wellington Drive Technologies Limited (total: 32)
Christchurch: A W Fraser Limited, EnaSolar Ltd, Energy Light Limited, Izon Science Limited, Jade Software Corporation Ltd, RJK Developments Ltd (trading as Keraplast Research), Skope Industries Ltd, Tait Limited, Talbot Plastics Ltd, The New Zealand Merino Company Ltd (total: 10)
Wellington: Avenir Holdings Limited, BRANZ Limited, Core Technology, Matakina Technology Limited, Mesynthes Ltd, Meteorological Service of New Zealand Limited, Optimal Product Limited, The Wellington Company (total: eight)
Dunedin: AbacusBio Ltd, GHC Holdings Ltd, Pacific Edge Ltd, Scott Technology Ltd.
Waikato: Dairy Goat Co-operative (NZ) Ltd, Endace Technology Limited, Gallagher Group Ltd, Tatua Co-operative Dairy Co Ltd.
Bay of Plenty: ArborGen New Zealand Unlimited, Bakels Edible Oils (NZ) Limited, Comvita New Zealand Ltd, PlusGroup Horticulture Limited, Triodent Ltd.
Taranaki: Independent Technology Limited, Mercer Stainless Ltd, MetOcean Solutions Ltd.
Nelson: Cawthron Institute.
Marlborough: Annies Marlborough Ltd.
Palmerston North: Fonterra (Fitzherbert Science Centre)
Napier: ABB.