WA’s best apprentices and students to be tested at national competition

  • WA Training Squad nominees announced following their success in regional WorldSkills competitions
  • Nominees considered for selection to Team WA to represent the State at the WorldSkills Australia National Championships in Perth 2020 
  • Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery today announced the WA Training Squad for selection for the WorldSkills Australia National Championships at a special medal ceremony held at Crown Perth.

    Recognised for their outstanding performance throughout the regional WorldSkills competitions, 196 competitors received medals with 66 being nominated for the WA Training Squad.

    From this squad, the WA team will be selected to compete at the WorldSkills Australia National Championships to be held at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre next year. 

    The August 2020 event, last hosted by Western Australia in 2014, is expected to draw a crowd of more than 20,000 people to cheer on more than 500 competitors.

    The biennial WorldSkills competition aims to find the best young apprentices, trainees, tradespeople and vocational education and training graduates in the country by testing them with set tasks, strict judging criteria and a race against the clock.

    More than 500 young Western Australians participated in the regional competitions this year in 32 skills categories such as bricklaying, cooking, cybersecurity, automotive and hairdressing.

    South Metropolitan TAFE first-year bricklaying apprentice Monique Juratovac of Lesmurdie was selected for the WA Training Squad after claiming gold with her bricklaying skills. Following months of training with a brick-filled wheelbarrow to improve her upper body strength, Monique achieved the top score in Western Australia.

    The South-West continues to produce champions with South Regional TAFE apprentice, Dylan Rader of Augusta winning gold for his exceptional cabinet making skills. Dylan will have plenty of support with previous champions coming from the region, including Kevin Dirks, who won a Silver at the 2018 National Championships and Nick Johnston, who represented Australia as a member of the Skillaroos in 2017.

    Over the coming months, the WA Training Squad will undergo further training with dedicated mentors from industry and training to secure their place in Team WA.

    Secondary school students in the WA team will also defend the prestigious vocational education in school shield which was won by WA for the first time in 2018 after collecting 11 of 17 gold medals in the nationals. 

    Further information on WorldSkills WA can be found at https://www.dtwd.wa.gov.au/worldskills-wa  

    As stated by Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery:

    “WorldSkills competitions provide a natural meeting point between training and industry; both collaborating with support and expertise to help showcase the best from our vocational education and training sector.

    “Next year will be an exciting year for Perth as the State hosts the WorldSkills Australia National Championships. The competition will not only put our most talented apprentices and trainees in the national spotlight but also showcase WA’s excellent and diverse vocational education and training system.

    “I congratulate all of today’s medallists on their fantastic achievements and look forward to following the Team WA squad’s journey.”

    /Public Release. View in full here.