What is the Chaudhary Scholarship
The Chaudhary Scholarship has been created to help support young people from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds looking to build meaningful future careers in the life sciences.
Those studying Biology, Human Biology and Applied Science at Bede Sixth Form College in Billingham can apply for small grants to assist with the purchase of equipment to enhance their studies such as IT equipment, publications and journals, assistance with travel and accommodation expenses for university visits and attendance of appropriate seminars and conferences.
New for the 2024/25 academic year, the scholarship has been launched by former Education Training Collective (Etc.) governor, Subhash Chaudhary MBE, following his retirement from a 50-year career at FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies and its predecessor companies, ICI, Zeneca, Avecia and MSD.
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Subhash Chaudhary MBE
Subhash Chaudhary MBE founder of the initiative, to hear about his aims and inspiration. Tell us how the idea of the Chaudhary Scholarship came about and your intentions behind it? The Chaudhary Scholarship was born from a deep sense of gratitude for the opportunities I’ve been fortunate enough to receive in my own life.
These experiences opened doors I never imagined possible and shaped the person I am today. I believe in the power of giving back and ‘paying it forward’. This scholarship is my way of ensuring young people from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds can dream big and have the support they need to turn those dreams/ambitions into reality. At its core, it’s about creating a fairer playing field and enabling the next generation to advance and succeed.
Why is it important?
The need for this scholarship feels especially pressing when you look at the data from the North East Child Poverty Commission. In 2024, they reported that the North east has experienced the sharpest rise in child poverty over the past decade, with up to a third of all children and young people in our region living in poverty. I have also seen statistics over the last eight years, as a governor on the Etc. board, which confirms the increasing level of need to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Long-term, I want this scholarship to be a catalyst for change—one that not only helps individuals but also inspires others to support causes like this and contribute to a brighter (and equal) future for all. There are a number of life science employers in the North-east and I hope they can benefit from the talent pipeline being created at Bede and provide career opportunities to attract and retain such talent locally.
Subhash Chauhary
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What you can do…
There are several meaningful ways businesses and supporters can help:
Provide opportunities – Offer internships and career opportunities for scholarship recipients.
This will help bridge the gap between education and employment.
Donate –
Contributions can help grow the scholarship to cover a wider cohort initially and in the medium to longer term a broader range of subjects and career paths, ensuring the scheme has long-term sustainability.
Subhash says: “It is early days, however, together, I believe, we can create a lasting impact.”
Donations welcome!
If you would like to donate to the fund, payments
can be sent (quoting ref. Chaudhary) to:
The Education Training Collective
Account ref: 03038327
Sort Code: 20-82-26
