WorldSkills Competition Wrap-Up: Celebrating Excellence in Apprenticeships!
Wednesday, 9 October 2024
Wodonga TAFE is proud to announce the success of the recent WorldSkills Competition, a day filled with passion, precision, and talent, showcasing the incredible skills of apprentices from across the region. The event, held at both Mckoy St and Logic Campus, saw top competitors in our region from automotive, hairdressing, turning and welding come together to demonstrate their expertise and hard-earned skills.
Winners Announced!
We are thrilled to congratulate our WorldSkills Regional Champions:
- 1st Place Automotive: Ash Newey
- 1st Place Hairdressing: Isaac Pronk
- 1st Place Turning: Ryan Still
- 1st Place Welding: Elise Knoble
These apprentices excelled in their respective fields, demonstrating both technical ability and creativity under pressure. Their achievements are a testament to their dedication to their studies and the rigorous training they've undergone throughout their apprenticeships.
A Day of Celebration
The atmosphere at the WorldSkills event was electric, with apprentices not only competing but also learning from one another in a supportive and celebratory environment. Each skill competition challenged participants to complete real-world tasks in a limited time, testing their precision, speed, and problem-solving capabilities.
The day highlighted not just the technical proficiency of our competitors, but also the importance of vocational education and training in developing the skilled workforce our industries depend on. WorldSkills is more than a competition – it’s a celebration of the effort and expertise apprentices put into their craft every day.
Thank You to Our Sponsors and Employers
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the prize sponsors whose generous donations made this event possible. Their contributions helped ensure that our winners were rewarded for their incredible work. A special mention goes to:
- Hairdressing – Matrix & Albury Salon World
- Turning - Sandvik & Cordor Tooling
- Welding – BOC Wodonga
In addition, we are immensely grateful to all employers who supported their apprentices by allowing them time away from the workplace to attend and compete. Your encouragement and backing are key to their growth, and your investment in their training ensures a brighter future for both them and your businesses.
Gratitude to Judges and Partners
We’d like to extend a special thank you to Wilson Transformers and Mark Lampe from Cordor Tooling for their invaluable assistance in judging on the day. Their industry expertise was instrumental in assessing the competitors' work, bringing a real-world perspective that ensured the competition standards were of the highest quality. A big thanks also goes to our internal team: Ash Neilson, Matt Binnie, Sam Trabant, Chris Cheater, and Chris Bergs for judging in the Turning & Welding categories, and to Zoe Wilde and Carmen McInnis for judging Hairdressing, alongside Troy Gay, Justin Dale, Steve McDonald, and John Tugliach.
We’d also like to express our appreciation to GoTAFE for their invaluable assistance throughout the planning and execution of the event, as well as for providing judges for the Automotive competition. Your collective support played a key role in making this competition a resounding success!
A Celebration of Apprenticeship
WorldSkills is not just about medals – it’s about recognising the value of hands-on learning and the expertise that apprentices bring to the table. Events like these shine a light on the future of our trades, celebrating the work, knowledge, and skills that are crucial to Australia's industries.
We look forward to continuing this journey, supporting the next generation of tradespeople, and showcasing the excellence that vocational training brings to our communities.
Congratulations to all competitors, and thank you to everyone who helped make the day such a success!