Partnership with the New Relationship Trust Foundation to Support Indigenous Students
Vancouver, B.C. – The BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI) is pleased to announce that it is now accepting applications for the 2021 Forestry Scholarship. COFI is awarding 13 $2,000 scholarships, including three COFI Indigenous Forestry Scholarships in partnership with the New Relationship Trust Foundation (NRTF).
“COFI is pleased to support the next generation of students as they seek to advance their education goals and learn about the forest industry of the future,” said Susan Yurkovich, President and CEO of COFI. “We are also excited to be partnering with the New Relationship Trust Foundation to support Indigenous students interested in pursuing future employment in forestry and as we look to further increase the participation of Indigenous people and communities in our sector.”
“The New Relationship Trust Foundation is very excited to partner with the BC Council of Forest Industries to offer Indigenous focused forestry scholarships,” said Matt Cook-Contois, Senior Associate – Programs Specialist, NRTF. “Indigenous students face an inordinate number of barriers when planning to attend post-secondary programs. COFI is demonstrating a strong commitment to reconciliation by investing in Indigenous education and providing Indigenous students further opportunity to build a stronger Indigenous future.”
COFI awards the scholarships each year to students pursuing post-secondary education or training in a skilled trades program associated with the forest industry. COFI established its scholarship in 2007 with the goal of encouraging young people in B.C. to choose a professional, technical or trades career in the forest sector.
The closing date for applying for the scholarships this year is June 4. For more information on eligibility and application requirements, visit COFI’s Scholarship Program cofi.org.
Indigenous students are encouraged to apply for the NRTF-COFI awards through the New Relationship Trust Foundation. For more information on the NRT Foundation and its programs, please visit nrtf.ca.
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About the BC Council of Forest Industries
The BC Council of Forest Industries is the voice of the BC forest industry. COFI members produce lumber, pulp and paper, panels and engineered wood products at facilities across the province. All share a commitment to a future based on employee safety, sustainable forestry and manufacturing practices, and innovative product development.
About COFI’s Forest Education Program
COFI’s Forest Education Program is an award-winning program for students from Grades 5-12. The goal of the program is to provide current information for educators and students about B.C.’s rich, world-class forest resources and the educational and career opportunities that are possible in our province’s forests and manufacturing facilities.
About the NRT Foundation
The New Relationship Trust Foundation (NRTF) is the largest Indigenous-run education charity in British Columbia (BC). Since 2008, the New Relationship Trust and NRT Foundation have awarded 2,787 scholarships and bursaries totalling $13 million in post-secondary financial aid.
Media contacts:
Ralph Eastman
eastman@cofi.org
604.202.6711
Matt Cook-Contois
mattcookcontois@nrtf.ca
604.925.3338