Sunshine State apprentices head to WorldSkills

FIVE automotive sector apprentices and trainees from Queensland are set to take part in the WorldSkills National Championships in Melbourne this weekend.

As the nation’s biggest trades and skills competition, the event is set to showcase 60 skills spanning 50 trades across three days from August 18 – 20. Among the entrants are numerous competitors from Queensland, including five automotive apprentices and trainees.

Queensland automotive sector entrants include Dirk Holmes in the Heavy Vehicle Mechanic category, Bailey Rice in Motorcycle Mechanics, Reece Gallagher in Auto Electrical, Bryson Kington in Automotive Refinishing, and Digger Marschke in Vocational Education Training in schools Automotive.

Manager of the WorldSkills Queensland team, Eric Davis, has been involved in the WorldSkills competition for many years, having his first experience as a judge at a regional competition in 1990.

Mr Davis said that over the years he had seen many, many students reap great benefits from participating in the competitions.

“The benefits for trainees and apprentices are endless – from further developing their skills to networking, forging new friendships and creating exciting new career opportunities,” he said.

“The competition helps competitors to become more confident in themselves and gain greater understanding of their skill area and industry. Most importantly they bring this confidence and knowledge back to their workplace to benefit their employers, colleagues, and industry.”

Mr Davis, who will be managing the Queensland team at this weekend’s event, has been involved with vocational education since 1985.

He first judged the Regional WorldSkills competition in 1991 and has since performed several roles for the competition, including National Championships Category Convener, Regional and National Judge, National Chief Judge, National Project Design Team member, National Championships Organising Committee member, and National Championships Site Crew member – all before he began working at the WorldSkills Australia Queensland office fulltime in 2009.

Mr Davis has also served as an Oceania and International Competition Expert and Global Skills Challenge Judge.

“I’ve done every job in the organisation, (and) I’ve loved it. From the first time you see these events you just want to be involved,” he said.

“I was heavily involved for a long time while also teaching my trade and teaching workplace health and safety at TAFE Queensland, and then an opportunity came up to work at WorldSkills fulltime and I took it.”

TAFE Queensland said it is proud to be represented so heavily at this year’s WorldSkills national competition in Melbourne – with both competitors and judges from the Sunshine State taking part.