Five SuniTAFE students and one Mildura Senior College student have spent the past month training for the 2023 WorldSkills Australia National Championships next week.  

The WorldSkills Australia National Championships is the biggest vocational education and excellence competition in Australia. It presents an opportunity for our students to compete against their peers and showcase the skills they have learned at SuniTAFE. 

SuniTAFE has students competing in the Plastering, Welding, Construction Steel Work, Heavy Automotive, and VETiS Metals and Engineering categories. 

A student from Mildura Senior College competing in the VETiS Carpentry category is also working with SuniTAFE teachers to prepare for the competition.

Heavy Automotive Teacher Will Sharpe and Engineering Teacher Aidan Baker have been tasked with preparing the students for the competition, and they have put together a comprehensive training program. 

Will is the Victorian Team Leader of the Auto Electrical, Autobody Repair, Automotive Mechanics, and Automotive Refinishing categories. 

“The students in my areas have been practicing complex engine diagnostics, problem-solving exercises, and meticulous fault analysis,” he said.

Aidan is the Victorian Team Leader of Construction Steel Work, Welding, and VETiS Metals and Engineering. 

“The students in Aidan’s categories have been improving their skills in innovative design, precision construction, and problem-solving strategies,” Will said.  

“Each of the training sessions include simulated competition scenarios, which challenges the students to perform under pressure and replicate the high-stakes environment they will encounter during the competition.” 

The students have been practising more than just the practical and theoretical components of their fields. Both Will and Aidan encourage the students to work on the life skills that they will need to rely on during the National Championships. 

“In addition to technical skills, the SuniTAFE teams are focusing on time management, critical thinking, and effective communication. These are vital for success in the competition,” Will said. 

“We are trying to instil in our students the importance of perseverance, resilience, and a growth mindset. This will put them in good stead for the competition, and for the future challenges they may face in their vocational careers.”

The students are excited to travel to Melbourne to compete against the finest vocational talents from across Australia.

WorldSkills Australia is part of a larger International WorldSkills movement, consisting of 82 other countries. Every two years, Australia sends a team of students (The Skillaroos) to compete in the international event. 

Winners at the National Championships may be given the opportunity to compete in the International WorkdSkills Championships, which will be held in Lyon, France next year. 

Click here to read more SuniTAFE news, including updates on the students’ competition outcomes in the coming weeks.