Capitol to accept applicants for second batch of Australia scholarship

BACOLOD City – The Negros Occidental Scholarship Program Division (NOSPD) under the Office of the Governor is now accepting applications for its Study Now, Pay Later -Northern Territory, Australia Scholarship on Commercial Cookery and Early Childhood Education and Care.

Applicants for Commercial Cookery must have a degree in Culinary, Hospitality Management or Hotel and Restaurant Management with at least two years experience in actual commercial cookery.

Applicants for Early Childhood Education and Care must have a degree in Elementary Education, board passer with at least two years experience in teaching.

She/he must be single, between 25-30 years old, resident of the Province of Negros Occidental with good attitude towards hard work, alert and have excellent communication skills, patient and resourceful, with excellent interpersonal  and leadership skills, and no criminal record particularly with children.

She/he must have good command of written and oral communication in English language and must pass the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Qualified applicants for Commercial Cookery will study at the International College of Advanced Education (ICAE) while qualified applicants for Early Childhood Education and Care will study at Alana Kaye College in Darwin, Northern Territory,Australia.

They willl be allowed to work 20 hours per week to support themselves for two years while the Provincial Government will pay for their one-way travel to Australia, tuition and other fees. Since this is a study now, pay later program, the grantees must pay the provincial government on installment basis.

This program is in coordination with the Office of Honorary Consul to Northern Territory, Australia, Januario Rivas and the Negros Occidental Language and Information Technology Center.

NOSPD head Karen Dinsay said that one of the scholars who took up Commercial Cookery in 2018 was granted Permanent Residency (PR) visa, recently.

Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando P. Diaz II said that the visit to Negros Occidental of His Excellency, Steven J. Robinsons AO, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines, signals the strong and closer relationship between Negros Occidental and Australia.

Gov. Bong Lacson said “I would like to congratulate Joery G. Rio of Talisay City on his new status as a Permanent Resident of Australia and on his achievement as a Sous Chef in one of the restaurants in Darwin. I am hoping that the other six scholars will also be granted PR visa soon”, he added.

He said that since Australia government has re-opened its borders, he will continue to support scholarship programs with international cooperation because these are trailblazing programs that will stongly make an impact on the lives of deserving Negrenses.

Interested applicants may submit their resume, diploma, birth certificate, work related certificates or current employment certificate at the Negros Occidental Scholarship Program Division at the 2nd Floor, Multi-Purpose Building (beside NBI), Aguinaldo Street, Bacolod City.