“Apply for a scholarship. It’s definitely worth it”

“Definitely apply for a scholarship, it’s a simple process and the reward is worth it. If you want a career with your degree it’s worth applying for, to get the support from ICMS,” advises Katherine Van Niekerk, current Bachelor of Hospitality Management student at International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS) and recipient of the prestigious HostPlus Hospitality Management Scholarship.

HostPlus is one of over 1000 industry partners aligned with ICMS, located in Northern Beaches, NSW, Sydney. The company is a key partner in the ICMS Scholarship Program which this year awarded over 120 scholarships worth approximately $1.8million.

The second HostPlus scholarship – the Sport Management Scholarship – was awarded to Jessie Melrose, an alumna of Stella Maris College in Manly. Each scholarship includes a significant tuition waiver.

Ms Van Niekerk grew up in Brisbane and moved to the Northern Beaches of Sydney in high school where she attended Mater Maria College in Warriewood. She chose ICMS because she loved the location and “knowing that all classes are small, it’s easier to focus and interact in classes and ask more questions confidently in a smaller environment.”

Another key reason for her choosing to complete her degree at ICMS is the fact that all degrees include an industry training subjects called Work Integrated Learning. “I also chose ICMS for the industry training, as this is the main highlight of attending the college, to be given this opportunity to experience our degrees in the real world and gain this experience before graduation.”

HostPlus is an industry superannuation fund for the hospitality, tourism, recreation and sport industries in Australia. Founded in 1988, the fund has grown to be one of the largest in Australia with over one million members, more than 170,000 employers and $37 billions in funds under management.

“As the national industry fund for Hospitality, Tourism, Recreation and Sport, HostPlus believes in true partnerships with our chosen sectors and we recognise the value of supporting and bringing high quality talent into these industries,” HostPlus executive manager Helen Wood said.

Van Niekerk says applying for a scholarship was clear and a rewarding experience in itself.  “I believe my bubbly personality along with my hard-working work ethic stood out to the board to prove that I’m a worthy candidate and will pursue a strong career in the Hospitality industry.”

The future looks bright for Van Niekerk who’d love to own her own hotel one day. She’s getting the skills and knowledge to make this dream a real possibility. “I chose to study hospitality management at ICMS particularly for the subjects and practical classes they give us to study as its practical classes for my future career. I will use the skills and industry training I experience from ICMS to achieve my goal and ambitions.”

If you think you might want to apply for a scholarship. Here’s the link!