With less than five months until the opening of the 45th WorldSkills international championship taking place in Kazan, Russia, WorldSkills Australia has selected an elite team of 40 people, including 15 competitors and 25 experts and officials, who will represent our nation at the leading international skills event for 2019.
The 15 young men and women from across Australia, known as the Skill aroos, will compete against the best apprentices and trainees from the 60 WorldSkills member countries in the hope of becoming world champions in their chosen trade or skill area.
The Skillaroos, all aged between 19 and 22, represent a wide range of trades and skills, the majority aligning with the national skills needs list. These include cloud computing, electrical installations, plumbing and heating, and graphic design technology.
The 45th WorldSkills International Championship will bring together more than 1600 young people, representing 60 countries and regions, who will compete In 56 Skill Competitions. The event runs from 22-27 august, 2019, and it’s expected more than 250,000 spectators will attend. Australia, currently 10th on the worldskills rankings, is aiming to better this and hoping for a top-5 finish.
Minister for Small and Family Business, Skills and Vocational Education Senator “The Honourable Michaelia Cash, said the competitors demonstrated the excellent quality of skills we have in Australia.
“I Congratulate all of the competitors that came to Melbourne this week to compete for a spot in the national team and wish them luck in Kazan,” she said.
Chair of WorldSkills Australia, Kevin Harris, said “WorldSkills Australia has a critical leadership role in the development and promotion of excellence of Australia’s skills, particularly now as Australia responds to global competition in the 21st Century and the challenges of the Industry 4 revolution.
“WorldSkills Australia is an amazing organisation led by a volunteer governance board and a small but very dedicated executive team. WorldSkills is powered by thousands of volunteers and contributing Australian enterprise and industry association partners, training institutes and government. All demonstrate in real terms, their passion and commitment to the purpose of WorldSkills Australia, the development and promotion of skills excellence,” Mr Harris said.
“The competitors and their Expert Trainers and Mentors have consistently shown the dedication, Commitment And Excellence. We require of Team Australia when they represent our nation against the best in the world,” Said Mr Judd.
Worldskills Australia will also send a Group of Category Experts To Kazan As Judges And Advisors.