The ARBS Foundation in partnership with NABERS recently made available 8 scholarships to sole traders to achieve basic accreditation as assesses and then in the discipline of Energy and Water for Offices.

All 8 scholarship places have been taken up.

Each applicant was assessed by a subcommittee of the trustees to ensure compliance with the terms of the scholarship.  Primarily, each applicant must have been a sole trader.

The Foundation provided 80% of the fees for each of the courses.

Several of the scholarship recipients have contacted the Foundation to express their appreciation for the financial assistance that was provided, saying that without it they would not have been able to undertake the study.

The way these scholarships were arranged and provided was a first for the Foundation.  The strategy has proven to be very effective and it provides a useful template for the future.