Apiculture New Zealand (ApiNZ) recently launched a new youth scholarship in beekeeping aimed at encouraging young New Zealanders who wish to take up a career in the industry and undertake training that supports best practice beekeeping.
The Ron Mossop Youth Scholarship in Beekeeping is sponsored by Mossop’s Honey based in Tauranga. Ron Mossop was a leading pioneer in the industry, starting out his family beekeeping business in the 1940s and building a values-based family business focused on quality and integrity.
Today, the Mossop family honours those values through the scholarship fund which will be awarded annually.
“Our family business has evolved over 70 years but retains the values that were important to my father, including maintaining high standards in beekeeping practice. We are keen to see those values reflected in a scholarship programme targeting young people,” says Neil Mossop of Mossop’s Honey based in Tauriko, Tauranga.
Karin Kos, Chief Executive of Apiculture New Zealand said the scholarship aims to support young New Zealanders in learning best practice beekeeping, provide a way for youth to engage positively in a vocation and promote a better understanding of the value of honeybees to our environment and to the food chain.
“Our organisation recently introduced the New Zealand Apprenticeship in Apiculture (link to website) and this scholarship aligns with the objectives around best practice beekeeping,” says Ms Kos.
The Scholarship includes:
- $2000 for one year towards an agreed training programme – the funds must be spent to help the recipient further their career in the apiculture sector. For example, the NZ Apprenticeship in Apiculture
- A one-year ApiNZ membership to the value of $115 (including GST).
- Attendance at the Apiculture New Zealand national conference in the year the scholarship is awarded.
For more information and how to apply go to https://apinz.org.nz/scholarship-in-beekeeping/.