PPS to award R1 million in bursaries and scholarships

PPS – the financial services company focused on graduate professionals – has announced it is giving away R1m in bursaries and scholarships to help South African students finish their university degrees.

According to Mike Jackson, CEO at PPS, applications for PPS’ annual bursaries and scholarships have now been opened to South African students, as part of the company’s ongoing effort to provide much-needed financial assistance to scholars across the country. “South Africa, and the rest of the world, is continuing to suffer from the impact of the recent global financial crisis and consequent sovereign debt crisis. As a result, it is becoming increasingly hard for students to find the money to pay for their studies.”

Jackson says the bursaries and scholarship offered by PPS play an important role in addressing the critical need for skills development in South Africa. “As a niche player in the graduate professional market, PPS would like to make a difference and support initiatives that will drive education of our youth to enable them to realise their dreams and make a significant contribution in our society.”

The latest survey of skills by the Institute of Directors revealed that 60% of SA’s business growth is being hampered by a lack of skills in new and existing workers. “Providing support to those students who are striving to better themselves through a quality higher education is a simple yet effective way to address the skills shortage crisis we are currently facing,” says Jackson.

To be eligible for the awards, the student must be registered at a South African university and must be studying towards a profession, which on qualification, would be eligible for PPS membership such as medicine, accountancy or engineering. Bursaries are awarded on financial need basis and scholarships on academic excellence. Students must be registering for a fourth academic year of study or a post-graduation degree. The student must also be a citizen or permanent resident of South Africa.

The deadline for all bursary and scholarship applications is 15 January 2012. Students can visit the Student Zone webpage on http://www.pps.co.za/ to apply for a PPS bursary or a scholarship.