Despite recent positive data from Jobs and Skills Australia showing a decrease in the number of occupations currently experiencing a skills shortage, efforts to ensure the next generation of workers are being effectively trained and developed are continuing… writes WorldSkills Australia CEO Trevor Schwenke
At WorldSkills Australia, we’re working to inspire, develop and celebrate skills excellence.
Upcoming regional competitions in 2026 will see thousands of apprentices, trainees and students from all corners of the country showcasing their abilities, with the opportunity to progress to our National Championships and Skills Show and potential to be selected as a Skillaroo and represent Australia on the world stage in 2028 at the WorldSkills Competition in Aichi Japan.
Skills competitions provide a crucial opportunity for young people to demonstrate their abilities, benchmark their progress and put the technical skills they have learnt to the test, alongside other talented competitors in their field.
Ranging from skills valued by established sectors such as bricklaying and automative mechanics, through to those coming to the fore in IT and robotics, the full-breadth of Australian vocational education and training (VET) will be on display.
Time is now
One of the additional features of competitions such as these is the opportunity they present competitors to develop a broader, complementary set of skills beyond those being demonstrated and judged in events.
Perhaps harder to quantify, it’s so-called ‘soft skills’ such as time management, networking, and creative thinking which are critical abilities that participants will develop as they compete and progress in skills competitions.
Especially for those who progress beyond the regional competitions, the demands placed on competitors and the challenges they will need to overcome will require an exceptional level of commitment and the ability to adapt and stay resilient.
Even the process of travelling interstate or overseas for preparation and competitions provides opportunities and experiences which can be channelled into further personal and professional growth.
Competitors then bring all of these additional benefits back from events, integrating them with the technical skills they are already honing to help accelerate their careers and make an even more significant contribution in the workplace.
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It’s these value-added skills that today’s apprentice mechanic can draw on to become tomorrow’s workshop manager or someone just starting out in the building trade to begin the journey towards running their own construction business.
This is why we are seeing growing support from industry partners, education providers and government at all levels in our mission to develop and celebrate skills excellence.
The positive impact that skills competitions can have is not only being felt by individual participants, but it is also helping this next generation of skilled professionals make an increased contribution in workplaces across Australia.