Chevron's Pembroke refinery is continuing to invest in the talent of the future by awarding local students bursaries for studying at university. Four students from around Pembrokeshire have been chosen to benefit from the educational scheme, which includes financial sponsorship during university courses, and work experience placements at the refinery.
This year, 18-year-olds Jonathan Main, Sean O'Keefe and Ben Powers - all from Pembroke, and Chris Milich, also 18, from Steynton, have received bursaries for their engineering courses. Chevron hope the initiative will help attract local students interested in a career in the energy sector to the refinery following university. Morgan Clark, general manager, Pembroke Refinery, said the bursaries were established in 2006 to help support local talent, and show Chevron's commitment to encouraging engineers of the future.
"Chevron is extremely pleased to see this scheme continue into a second year. We see this programme as a way to further encourage the strong engineering history in Pembroke." He added: "We hope the bursaries will help young engineers along a career path with personal development at its core."
Whilst at university, each student will be assigned a mentor, tied to their specific business study area to offer support. This year's students visited the refinery in August for a celebratory lunch, before starting their university courses this autumn. The bursary scheme is the latest educational programme set up by Chevron, supported by the Pembroke refinery. In 2005, an operator Apprenticeship Programme was set up, and since has welcomed 12 apprentices a year.
The scheme follows the Modern Apprenticeship framework, with Cogent, the UK refining Sector Skills Council, with each apprentice spending their first year on a full-time college course, followed by two years on-site training at the refinery.