UTech STEM scholarships open for 13 programmes, faculty of engineering and computing
THE UNIVERSITY of Technology (UTech) recently outlined details on the new governmentfunded Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Scholarships, designed to support students pursuing related courses of study at the tertiary institution.
The data was provided during an interactive online information session.
Applications for the STEM scholarships, which are fully funded tuition awards, opened on May 1, 2023.
During the session, it noted that the four-year scholarships are open to Jamaican nationals aged 17-25, who must demonstrate financial need, fulfil the university’s matriculation requirements for the course of study and be involved in extracurricular/community activities.
The STEM scholarships were announced on March 10, 2023, during the 2022/2023 budget debate, by Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke, who stated that over 1,000 STEM scholarships over the next five years would be provided to the University of Technology, Jamaica at a total cost of $2.4 billion to support Jamaicans from low-income households.
Professor Sean Thorpe, dean of Faculty of Engineering and Computing (FENC), UTech, explained that “every 200 students for each year, starting this year, 2023, will have an opportunity to complete a four-year degree in any engineering or computing discipline”.
Noting that the STEM Knowledge Processing Outsourcing (KPO) industry is changing, Thorpe pointed to a massive shift to automation and the use of artificial intelligence and noted that automation has also changed the path of careers. Professor Thorpe urged prospective candidates to immediately apply to UTech to take advantage of the “golden opportunity”, and noted that the STEM scholarships would enable persons to work remotely from Jamaica for global companies such as Google, Microsoft and Teradata. Scholarship recipients will be placed in the KPO sector after they have completed studies and will also have opportunities to intern with KPO companies while enrolled in the UTech, Jamaica STEM programme.