Aspiring ECEC graduates who are the descendants of veterans will benefit from network

Descendants of Australian veterans are set to benefit from a new Australian Veterans’ Children Assistance Trust (AVCAT) Alumni Network launched today, which will administer a range of tertiary education scholarships and bursaries for the children and grandchildren of Australian veterans, assisting them to achieve academic and personal goals.

Launched earlier this week, Federal Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said the AVCAT Alumni Network would create a valuable support system for past and present AVCAT students, including those wishing to study early childhood education and care (ECEC). 

 “A recent survey of past AVCAT students suggested an Alumni support network would foster a sense of belonging and allow participants to reconnect, maintain relationships and establish a mentorship program for future AVCAT scholarship recipients,” Mr Chester said.

AVCAT Alumni are now working in a wide range of careers and giving back to the community, including as a CEO, a nuclear medical scientist, a high school teacher, a paramedic, a nurse manager, a partner in a major law firm, and an opera singer, he added. 

A range of scholarships are on offer, including the Long Tan Bursary, funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, which provides funding to help the children and grandchildren of Vietnam War veterans meet the cost of education after finishing high-school, supporting them to obtain formal qualifications and skills needed to pursue their chosen career.

In 2020, the Australian Government funded 50 bursaries, each worth up to $12,000 over three years of continuous full-time study.

“Supporting the children and grandchildren of Vietnam War veterans to gain a tertiary education is just one of the ways the Australian Government continues to honour their service” Mr Chesser said.

“We know that the bursaries and scholarships AVCAT manage have a very positive impact on the lives of recipients and their families. The launch of the AVCAT Alumni Network will only enhance this into the future.”

Further information about the AVCAT Alumni Network may be accessed here.