Victorians will make up more than a third of the 33 young apprentices, trainees, and students representing Australia and showcasing their vocational skills at the WorldSkills 47th International Competition in France this September.
Minister for Skills and TAFE, Gayle Tierney extended her congratulations to all the students selected for Team Australia – named the Skillaroos – who will join 1,500 participants from 75 countries competing in Lyon.
“Congratulations to everyone selected for Team Australia at the WorldSkills 47th International Competition, and to the Victorian Skillaroos who will showcase their skills and represent our world-class vocational training system,” said Minister Tierney.
“Victoria is proud to host the Global Skills Challenge through our fantastic TAFE Victoria network, and to showcase Victorian TAFE and student excellence – I wish all the competitors the best of luck.
The international trades and skills competition gives thousands of apprentices and trainees the chance to demonstrate their talent across more than 59 disciplines. Over four days, competitors will complete practical tasks set by industry expertsto assesstheir knowledge, competence and employability skills against a set ofstrict criteria.
The 12 Victorians competing in the event this year make up the largest Victorian contingent of Skillaroos since 1995 – which was also when the competition was last hosted in Lyon.
These are the top apprentices and trainees in their fields – which include traditional skills like carpentry, heavy vehicle mechanics and plumbing, and new skills in areas like cloud computing, additive manufacturing and mechatronics.
Star van Wageningen is one of the Victorian Skillaroos who will be competing in 3D Digital Game Art, which she describes as a happy medium between art and technical skill – an evolving industry that is providing career pathways and opportunities for students.
Before heading to France, the Skillaroos will have a final training exercise at the 2024 Global Skills Challenge in Victoria this May, which will be hosted at various Victorian TAFE campuses and will simulate the conditions of the international competition.
To find out more about WorldSkills and see the Victorians selected for Team Australia, visit www.worldskills.org.au.
