Cambridge student Katie Hollands has won a $5000 Meat Industry Association scholarship.
Katie Hollands
Hollands, who did not grow up on a farm but spent a lot of time on schoolfriends’ family farms which sparked her interest, is in her third year at Lincoln University studying for a Bachelor of Agribusiness and Food Marketing and planning a career in the red meat sector.
The former Waikato Diocesan School for Girls enjoyed business studies at school and had a passion for the primary industries and the food it produces.
“I’m interested in the economics and business side of the industry, maximising export values and capitalising on trade, so would like to work in that area.”
Every year, the Meat Industry Association provides scholarships of $5000 per annum for undergraduates and $10,000pa for post-graduate students.
All are tertiary students, studying a subject relevant to the red meat processing industry and planning a career in the sector beyond the farm gate.
As well as financial support, scholars benefit from the organisation’s mentoring programme and participation in a range of industry events and networking opportunities. Assistance may also be provided to help them to secure vacation or part-time work in the meat processing industry.
Hollands has experience in the primary sector in horticulture, through carrot picking and processing and blueberry picking, but she is keen to gain experience in the red meat sector and is looking for part-time work in that area this year.
“It is such an important sector,” she said.
“Red meat is the backbone of our primary industries. Red meat and dairy are our biggest revenue earners, a major part of our GDP and, importantly, also a very big employer of New Zealanders.”
