Applications for the 2022 Young Mining Professionals (YMP) Scholarship Fund are now open for students enrolled this coming September in an Earth Science or Mining Engineering program at a Canadian university.
The value of the YMP Scholarship Fund, the largest mining scholarship fund in the world according to the YMP executive team, has grown from $12,000 when it was founded in 2018 by Stephen Stewart, chair of the ORE Group, and Anthony Moreau, CEO of American Eagle Gold (TSXV: AE), to a whopping $200,000 in five years. This year, there are a total of 44 individual scholarships funded by 23 different companies ranging in value from $500 to $15,000, each of which must be applied for individually online. The deadline for applications is Aug. 31 with successful applicants to be announced Oct. 1. Students may apply to as many scholarships as they qualify for.
In addition to the cash awards, many of the scholarships offer opportunities for internships, offering students valuable experience in the mining industry. Applicants will be considered based on academic achievement, extracurricular activities and submissions demonstrating innovative ideas and a commitment to a career in mining.
The scholarship fund’s mandate is to attract young people to Canada’s exploration and mining industry by supporting their academic studies.
Alex Bateman, a mining engineering student entering her fourth year at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) in Vancouver, can vouch for the importance of the scholarship fund.
Winner of Iamgold’s (TSX: IMG; NYSE: IAG) $4,000 Woman in Mining Scholarship in 2019, Alex took a circuitous route to a career in the mining industry after graduating with a degree in economics and math from Queen’s University.
“I didn’t know about the mining industry when I was in high school because when you grow up in a city like I did you’re not exposed to the mining industry,” she said.
It was a mine tour while working up north on a First Nation youth training program that convinced her to make a career change and apply to the mining engineering program at BCIT.
“Living in Vancouver and going to school is very expensive, so winning the scholarship helped a lot and served as validation that I was making the right decision.
“I’m typically someone who gets pretty bored working at a mundane job and the mine tour opened my eyes to what everyone was doing, how dynamic it was and how everybody came together from different departments to achieve a common goal,” said Alex, explaining what appealed to her about the mining industry. “I knew immediately this was the career for me.”
In addition to her immersion in her academic studies, Alex has gained valuable experience working for the JDS Group on assignments for Centerra Gold (TSX: CG; NYSE: CGAU) and at New Gold’s (TSX: NGD; NYSE-AM: NGD) New Afton operation in Kamloops.
Now a member of the YMP Scholarship Fund executive committee, Alex volunteers to help other students take advantage of the fund’s financial assistance and opportunities for internships, knowing how important they were for her.
The YMP Scholarship Fund executive team is particularly proud of the $25,000 worth of funds donated by the ORE Group and Agnico Eagle Mines (TSX: AEM; NYSE: AEM) for Indigenous focused scholarships. Other notable scholarships aim to support women in mining and promote the study and advancement of environmental, social, and corporate governance principles.
The fact that the fund is managed entirely by volunteers and that all of the money contributed goes to the students is also a factor in its success.
The growth of the scholarship fund is largely attributed to mining companies that see it as a means of recruiting young talent. In its absence, most sponsors would likely spend just as much or more on recruitment expenses.
The YMP Scholarship Fund is a registered Canadian charity offering tax receipts to donors. Individuals and companies interested in sponsoring a scholarship in future are encouraged to contact YMP by emailing scholarships@youngminingprofessionals.com.
Full list of scholarships
Following is a list of the YMP scholarships for the 2022-2023 academic year:
The Agnico Eagle Perseverance/Kajussissimainarniq Scholarship – 1 x $10,000
One $10,000 scholarship and an interview for an internship will be awarded to a Nunavut Inuit student pursuing a career in mining.
Alamos Gold’s Student in Mining (Northern Ontario) Scholarship – 1 x $5,000
One $5,000 scholarship will be awarded to a student enrolled in a mining-related program at a Canadian post-secondary educational institution. Students must either study at an institution located in Northern Ontario or reside in Northern Ontario.
Alamos Gold’s Student in Mining (Financial Need) Scholarship – 2 x $5,000
Two $5,000 scholarships will be awarded to a student enrolled in a mining-related program at a Canadian university. Students must provide a statement of financial need to be eligible for this scholarship.
Appian Capital Advisory Mining Scholarship – 1 x $15,000
One $15,000 scholarship will be provided to a student enrolled in an MSc or PhD degree program in Finance, Geology, or Engineering with a focus on the mining industry at a university in Canada.
Appian Capital Advisory Mining Scholarship – 2 x $5,000
Two $5,000 scholarships will be provided to students enrolled in Finance, Geology, Engineering or a mining-related Earth Sciences program. One scholarship will be awarded to a student enrolled in a Quebec post-secondary school and one scholarship will be awarded to a student enrolled in a post-secondary program elsewhere in Canada.
Barrick Gold’s Peter Munk Scholarship – 1 x $10,000
One $10,000 scholarship and an interview for an internship with Barrick will be awarded to a student who embodies Peter Munk’s entrepreneurial spirit.
B2Gold’s Women in Mining Scholarship – 1 x $10,000
One $10,000 scholarship will be awarded to a student enrolled in their 3rd or 4th year of a mining-specific program in Canada. Students must demonstrate that they are pursuing a career in the mining industry and participate in activities or organizations that align with B2Gold’s vision and values of maintaining high environmental stewardship and social responsibility standards.
Equinox Gold’s BC Mining Scholarship – 1 x $5,000
One $5,000 scholarship will be awarded to a student who is a resident of British Columbia or enrolled in a mining-specific program for the 2022/2023 year at a post-secondary educational institution in British Columbia.
Equinox Gold’s Northwestern Ontario Mining Scholarship – 1 x $5,000
One $5,000 scholarship will go to a student enrolled in a mining-specific program at Lakehead University or who is a resident of the Kenora, Rainy River, or Thunder Bay districts.
IAMGOLD’s Woman in Mining Scholarship – 1 x $10,000
One $10,000 scholarship will be awarded to a female-identifying student currently enrolled in a mining-specific undergraduate program at a Canadian university.
JDS Mining Scholarship – 2 x $5,000
Two $5,000 scholarships (one for a male and one for a female) will be awarded to a student in a mining engineering program at a Candian post-secondary educational institution. The winner will also be eligible to interview for an internship with JDS.
Joan Margaret Stewart New Canadian Scholarship – 2 x $2,500
Two $2,500 scholarships will be awarded to new Canadian students demonstrating a financial need and are enrolled in an Earth Sciences program at a Canadian post-secondary educational institution. Applicants should be in their second, third or fourth year of study.
Kinross Student in Mining Scholarship – 2 x $5,000
Two $5,000 scholarships (one for a male and one for a female) will be awarded to full-time undergraduate students attending any Canadian university and studying a technical mining subject such as Mining Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Metallurgy, Geological Engineering or Geology. An internship interview opportunity will also be provided.
Ore Group Indigenous Mining Scholarships – 5 x $2,000
Five $2,000 scholarships will be awarded to exceptional Indigenous students registered at a Canadian post-secondary institution. Three scholarships will be awarded to students residing in British Columbia (American Eagle Gold), Saskatchewan (Baselode Energy) and Manitoba (Metal Energy) and two scholarships will be awarded to students in Ontario (Orefinders and Mistango).
O3 Quebec Mining Scholarship – 1 x $15,000
One $15,000 scholarship will be awarded to an exceptional student in their second, third or fourth year in a mining-related program at a French-language post-secondary institution in Quebec.
QC Copper & Gold Quebec Indigenous Mining Scholarship – 2 x $2,500
Two $2,500 scholarships will be awarded to exceptional Indigenous students enrolled in a mining-related program at a French-language post-secondary institution in Quebec.
QC Copper & Gold Northern Quebec Mining Scholarship – 2 x $2,500
Two $2,500 scholarships will be awarded to exceptional students enrolled in a mining-related program at a French-language post-secondary institution in Quebec.
Sprott Inc. Environment, Social, and Governance Scholarship– 1 x $10,000
One $10,000 scholarship will go to a student enrolled in Finance, Geology, Engineering or a mining-related Earth Sciences program at a post-secondary school in Canada.
The Northern Miner Scholarship – 1 x $5,000
One $5,000 scholarship will be provided to an exceptional student enrolled in a mining-specific program at a Canadian university.
TD Securities Mining Capital Markets Scholarship – 2 x $5,000
Two $5,000 scholarships will be awarded to exceptional students with a keen interest in capital markets who are currently in a mining-specific undergraduate program at a Canadian university.
Triple Flag Young Mining Scholarship – 1 x $10,000
One $10,000 scholarship will be awarded to an exceptional third- or fourth-year student enrolled in a mining-related undergraduate program at a Canadian university. Applicants should have a demonstratable involvement in activities aligned with environmental stewardship and social responsibility values.
Yamana Gold’s Student in Mining Scholarship – 2 x $5,000
Two $5,000 scholarships will be provided to an extraordinary, aspiring industry professional enrolled in a mining-related program via an innovative one-page creation.
The Kinross Gold and Sprott Inc. Mining Lottery Scholarship – 10 x $500
Ten $500 scholarships will be selected at random via lottery, with the sole requirement being that the applicant be a student enrolled in the 2022/23 academic year and studying engineering or a mining-related Earth Sciences program at a post-secondary school in Canada.
Other companies contributing to the 2022 YMP Scholarship Fund include American Eagle Gold (TSXV: AE), Orefinders Resources (TSXV: ORX), Mistango River Resources (CSE: MIS), Metal Energy (TSXV: MERG), and Baselode Energy (TSXV: FIND).
Congrats, the program looks very good.
I am Professor at a public Engineering Faculty in La Paz, Bolivia.
Bolivia is a mining country and need high qualified Human Resources. I would like to know if some best Bolivian students could apply for a scholarship.
Kind regards,
Eng. Agustin Cardenas
Dear professor Cardenas, if they study in Canada they will be considered, yes.