Students from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) who are interested in the landscape industry can now be eligible for scholarships worth a total of $600,000.

Scholarships will be offered to 50 students pursuing ITE's Nitec in Facility Technology (Landscaping Services) course over a five-year period. Students will also be offered attachment programmes to better prepare them for a career in the sector.

The scholarships are funded by the Landscape Industry Association Singapore (Lias) and the Garden City Fund, a registered charity of NParks.

The announcement was made on Saturday at ITE College East. ITE's Nitec course in landscaping services has seen 164 graduates over three cohorts since it was introduced in 2009, said ITE's chief executive officer and director Bruce Poh.

Added Lias chairman John Tan: "My hope is that this new scholarship program for ITE students will help to plant a seed in their minds which will germinate into their becoming landscape professionals of the next generation."