2020

Joshua Papworth

Upper Hutt

The Geoff Walsh Memorial Scholarship has been an absolute game changer for me.

As an adult student, going back to study was something I knew wouldn’t be easy,  but nothing prepared me for just what a challenge it would be …

Getting through the Mechanical Engineering Diploma at WelTec and learning all those fundamentals, math, physics, materials etc., sitting next to someone half my age, while trying to also balance as much paid work as I could to keep the bills paid, was a real struggle.

… The support of the HVE Group and the GWMS has given me the confidence boost and resolve I needed to move to the next level and tackle the BEngTech Degree head-on and see it through, as well as the security of simply being able to buy course materials as and when I needed them. This is a luxury I know not everyone can afford, and I am so very grateful for it. One more year to go, though this last year will have a new set of challenges as well, as I have recently moved back to my home province of Taranaki and am now studying remotely.

I’m excited about the future for the Heavy Vehicle industry, and the innovation and collaboration that will be essential to meet New Zealand’s carbon neutral goals, and I look forward to being a part of this transition and beyond.

My sincerest thanks to the HVE for this opportunity.