AES-VCM grants future energy scholarships to electricity students

David Stone, president of AES Vietnam, grants AEC-VCM Future Energy scholarships to electricity students

This scholarship programme was implemented three years ago (in 2017) by the company. Its main focuses are investment in education, training, and preparing a high-tech future workforce for Vietnam’s energy sector to deal with the country's increasing electricity demand.

The selected students will not only receive $600 financial support each but will also be able to participate in soft skills and English training, volunteer activities, community support, and site visits to Mong Duong 2 BOT Thermal Power Plant invested and operated by AES-VCM Mong Duong Power Co., Ltd. in Quang Ninh province.

This tailor-made scholarship programme aims to reduce the burden of tuition fee and other expenses for the students and provide them key career and skills-building activities throughout the year.

Specialised training courses organised by the Centre for Education Development (CED) will provide practical information, strengthen students' potential and knowledge about the power industry, and will help them define their future career opportunities.

“At AES, people are the most valuable asset. Our success leverages the talent of AES people who are passionate about their work and consistently strive for excellence,” said David Stone, president of AES Vietnam at the scholarship donation ceremony held yesterday.

“Investment in people and education is a top priority in our corporate social responsibility policy. I am happy to see the scholarship programme implemented for the third year with many outstanding students benefiting from it. I hope it will energise them further to learn even harder and will improve their personal development path, giving them the chance to fit in well with the country energy future,” Stone noted.

The scholarship programme is strongly supported by the universities’ administrations and attracts an increasing number of applicants. This year, 20 scholarships were granted with the total value of VND500 million ($21,740).

This year, 20 scholarships were granted with the total value of VND500 million ($21,740)

“For my family and me, receiving the scholarship was a huge honour. The financial support will help me in my studies, dispelling the need to take on a part-time job, hence giving me more time to concentrate on my education,” said Le Thanh Tung, a student of the Electrical and Engineering Institute, Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST). “I have more time to improve my English and to dedicate myself to research in the laboratory. In addition, the scholarship programme has also provided training and volunteering activities through which I gained new experiences while meeting new people from other parts of the country."

“Now I am more confident. Particularly, a site visit to the Mong Duong 2 power plant was a strong motivation to my study and research. I am very grateful to the company and the scholarship programme officers for their support,” Tung added.

Besides education, AES-VCM also implemented various CSR programmes focusing on healthcare, environmental protection, and livelihood improvement in Quang Ninh province with the accumulated value of nearly VND10 billion ($434,780).