Former Christchurch Boys’ High student, James Addington, received a Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Latin America in the latest round of scholarships announced yesterday by Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith. James (who is also the University of Canterbury Students’ Association President) will spend three months this summer in Buenos Aires on an internship in a multi-national company. 

James has completed a Bachelor of Commerce and will complete a Bachelor of Laws at the end of this year, and sees this as a good opportunity to gain global experience straight out of university.

“I wanted to get overseas next year and get some experience, a friend told me about this and I thought it was a good opportunity to take. It’s an opportunity I think students should be taking advantage of.” 

He also sees this as an opportunity to explore a place he hasn’t been to before and is keen to immerse himself in the local culture, go hiking and hit the ski slopes if he is still there in the winter months. The aim of the scholarship is to strengthen the relationship between New Zealand and Latin America by improving New Zealand's international workforce skills through knowledge of Latin America’s business practice and culture, and strengthen our ability to engage in trade agreements with partners in Latin America. The scholarships also aim to promote the quality of New Zealand’s education system. Scholarships cover flights, living costs and programme fees as well as medical and travel insurance.