Eight young Maori tertiary students have been awarded the first 2degrees' Hei Rere Mai Scholarships.
Launched last year by the mobile phone company and a key shareholder, the Hautaki Trust, the scholarships aim to boost Maori participation in the telecommunications industry.
It was one of three initiatives under the Hei Rere Mai programme open to Maori students studying towards ICT qualifications at the University of Auckland.
2degrees chief executive Eric Hertz has congratulated the Hautaki Trust for the initiative in providing young Maori with a real chance to part of the industry, and hopes it will inspire other rangatahi Maori to work in telecommunications.
Recipients of the inaugural 2012 scholarship are: Grace Ngapo, David Pene, L'Rey Renata, Jamie Pye, Leon Hayward, Xien Rare-Lee, Julius Bennett and Frederick Blucher.
Scholarships ranged between $500 and $5000.
