Mining firm gives awards to top Unitech students

 THE Hidden Valley mine has given awards to 13 top students who graduated from the Papua New Guinea University of Technology last Friday.

It includes two females. They were judged the best final year students and received the Morobe Mining Joint Ventures Excellence award. 

The students graduated in the fields of applied chemistry, civil engineering, electrical engineering, communication for development, mechanical engineering, mining engineering, mineral process engineering, surveying, agriculture, building, architecture, management and accounting.

The Excellence Award is part of the Student and Teacher Performance Awards programme initiated last year by the mine’s community and regional development education programme. 

Its aim is to promote education in the Bulolo and Huon districts and PNG.

MMJV’s education programmes coordinator Thelma Elizah said: “Schools educate future leaders and developers of PNG. 

“Because of that MMJV is committed to work in partnership with schools, provincial and national government and the communities to improve the quality of education.”

One of the recipients of the award, Jesse Nagiob, who graduated with a Bachelor of Communication for Development, completed five months of industrial training with the Hidden Valley Community Affairs team last year as part of his final year programme.  

“It’s been a long journey from being a village boy going to Lae in pursuit of an education,” Nagiob said.

“I could never have dreamt of making it this far. It was truly a blessing and I am humbly thankful to HVJV for the opportunity.”