A pair of young Aussie apprentices are set to compete on the global stage as they vie for the title of ‘best in the world’ at this month’s WorldSkills International Championships.
Representing Australia as part of the prestigious ‘Skillaroos’ team, the talented trainees will travel to France later, demonstrating their tradie expertise as they face off against peers froment countries.
Their domestic victory during last August’s WorldSkills Australia National Championships secured them a spot in the global competition, where they’ll now take on 1,500 of the world’s top vocational students across a wide array of disciplines, including bricklaying, welding, metalwork, electrical installations, refrigeration, and more.
One of the standout competitors, Dylan Redman, a skilled fourth-year apprentice specialising in electrical installations, is focused on the ultimate prize after having a whole year to prepare for the international finals.
“It was insane to be named the champion of Australia as just a third-year apprentice after going up against others much more knowledgeable than me,” he told Build-it.
“But winning this year would mean I’d be the 2024 electrical champion, a world champion, to beat every other country; I don’t even know what I would feel.”
Dylan said he was determined to make the most of the opportunity to enter the globally acclaimed competition and would be approaching the finals with a competitive spirit.
“One hundred per cent, I’m going there to try to win; subtly, I’m the most competitive person around and want to give everyone a run for their money with the intent to bring home the gold,” he said.
Paving the road to France
Dylan’s journey into the electrical trade began with the pursuit of job security, which soon blossomed into a deep passion, thanks to the encouragement of his instructors and employer.
“I always wanted to go down the electrical pathway while in school; it’s a clean trade of the trades, and there will always be career options in electrical and jobs out there,” he explained.
During his early years at TAFE, Dylan’s potential was recognised by his teachers, leading to his participation in a regional competition that boosted his confidence and solidified his skills.
“In the first two years of TAFE, a few of the teachers selected me to compete in the regional comp, which I won, which gave me the confidence boost I needed to believe I was good at what I do,” Dylan said.
He has spent the past four years honing his craft with Gold Coast-based Electrical Installations, where he says he has become well prepared for this month’s unknown electrical finals task – thanks to the unpredictable nature of his day job.
VET Comp a confidence-builder
Joining Dylan in the WorldSkills International Championships is fellow fourth-year apprentice Bailey Loenneker, an air conditioning and refrigeration specialist.
Employed by Always Cool Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, Bailey has also embraced the challenge of competing at a global level but admitted to feeling slightly nervous ahead of this month’s event.
“It is pretty nerve-wracking to be involved, but I feel the more confident I approach it, the better I do on the day,” Bailey told Build-it.
In preparation, Bailey has been studying past competitions and refining his skills, particularly in copper bending and brazing, seeing the competition as more of a valuable tool not only to enhance his technical abilities, expand his professional network, and advance his career pathways.
“The contest has been a great opportunity to build my skills and build my connections,” he said.
“I like the variety of the job. It’s a very broad trade, so there are a lot of areas you can go into. It isn’t just focused on the one skill set, unlike other trades.”
Uni students set to star at WorldSkills
It’s not just TAFE students who will be flying over to France this month in search of being crowned one of the best young workers in their field.
Several university students will also represent Australia at the event, representing fields such as engineering, manufacturing, cloud computing, and industry 4.0 to help make up Australia’s Skillaroos team.
One of those students is RMIT’s Gervase Voss, competing in the additive manufacturing category after his interest in engineering led him to find his passion for 3D printing.
The mechanical engineer bachelor student’s exploration of 3D printing led to the successful creation of several working motor models.
Gervase and his team won gold at the regional level and placed at the WorldSkills national competition, thus qualifying for this year’s global finals in France.
“From a young age, I’ve been obsessed with engineering concepts, so pursuing a career in an industry that I’m passionate about felt natural,” Gervase said.
RMIT Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Vocational Education Mish Eastman says qualifying for WorldSkills was a celebration of educational success.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for our RMIT students competing on the international stage to connect with the Skillaroos team and celebrate this pivotal moment in their skills journey together,” she said.
“I know these exceptional students will hugely benefit from this once-in-a-lifetime experience as they work towards taking up in-demand jobs that support the Australian economy.”
Supporting Australia’s Future Skilled Workforce
Industry experts and TAFE teachers will accompany the Skillaroos as they travel to compete for the title of ‘world’s best’.
Among those joining team in a coaching capacity is TAFE Queensland SkillsTech general manager Stephen Gates, who highlighted the pivotal role vocational education plays in developing Australia’s skilled workforce.
“Vocational education and training forms an integral part of the Australian education system, and this competition highlights the important role that skilled workers play in our industries and our communities across Australia,” he said.
Stephen said TAFE Queensland holds the WorldSkills contest in high regard, with the institution’s quality training evident in the achievements of apprentices like Dylan and Bailey.
“TAFE Queensland provides quality training across many industries and strives to deliver skilled workers who can lead Queensland’s economy for generations to come. These highly skilled apprentices and students are key examples of the high-quality graduates produced at TAFE Queensland,” he concluded.
