Rheem Australia is again extending a helping hand to apprentice plumbers, with the company announcing a new round of Apprentice Plumber Grants. Rheem will award 25 grants worth $1000 each to encourage some deserving apprentice along their way.

“These apprentices are our next generation of plumbers and we want to help them complete their training,” says Rheem Australia CEO Matt Sexton. “There’s a significant need for financial assistance among apprentice plumbers, and Rheem is happy to support the plumbing industry wherever it can.”

Since the Rheem Apprentice Plumber Grants program was launched in 2012, Rheem has given assistance to 125 apprentice plumbers from all around Australia.

“This year, we are especially looking out for apprentice plumbers who have ambition and drive to make a real difference in their community using their skills,” Matt says. “Over the past few years we have seen many applicants showing enormous dedication and continued hard work despite often challenging circumstances.”

Previous recipients of a Rheem Apprentice Plumber Grant include a young newlywed man who together with his wife spends holidays volunteering in a third world country; a teenage apprentice who had to commute a further 60km a day to get to work after a fire and flood destroyed the road from his property; a mother of three who started an all-female plumbing business; a hearing impaired apprentice who’s not letting his impairment ruin his dream of becoming a qualified plumber; and several ambitious apprentices planning to use their skills to bring adequate plumbing to remote and/or disadvantaged areas.

Twenty two-year-old Christopher Pierce from Hillside, Victoria, was awarded one of Rheem’s Apprentice Plumber Grants in 2012 for his admirable ambition to use his plumbing skills to obtain a job in Antarctica – something he is still working towards today.

“As soon as I have all of the requirements, I will keep on applying until I get the gig,” Christopher says. “If I wasn’t successful, I would like to work somewhere around Australia in the mines, or even over in Canada. The fact that I can work overseas and assist with government research, not to mention use the facilities that I help build would be amazing.”

Chris says the Rheem grant helped him stay on track financially during his apprenticeship.

“My car’s transmission blew the week I received the grant, and I really need my car to get to work,” he says. “The grant helped me out a great deal with paying for the repair work. I also had to get my wisdom teeth removed around the same time, so the grant certainly kept me out of financial strife.”

There are no restrictions placed on the grants, and successful applicants can decide how and when they use it.

“There are many who have used the grant to enhance their tool collection, in addition to putting it towards education, bills, or fuel to get to or from work,” adds Matt Sexton. “There are others who have used the money to create their own tools to use in their work.”

About the 2015 Rheem Apprentice Plumber Grants

Applications for the 2015 Rheem Apprentice Plumber Grants open on Saturday 1 August 2015 and close on Wednesday 30 September 2015, with recipients announced on Friday 30 October 2015.

Apprentices can nominate themselves, or their employer can nominate on their behalf. Applicants can download the form from the website at www.rheem.com.au/apprentice and either post, email or fax it (details are on the application form). Further information can also be found on the Rheem Apprentice Plumber Grant Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/rheemapprenticeplumbers.

Recipients of the 2012, 2013 and 2014 Rheem Apprentice Plumber Grants are not eligible to enter.