Mark Callaghan’s Welcome

Dear WorldSkills Supporter,

With flooding in Queensland and Victoria, it has been a devastating  start to 2011. The images that we have all seen and the stories that we have all heard have hammered home just what a harsh country we live in. I know each and every one of you will join with me in wishing everyone affected by the recent floods all the best as they commence and continue to come to terms with the sometimes devastating impacts of recent events.

It has been reported that the impact of the floods will have significant economic impacts and with newspaper headlines such as Skills Shortage Threatens Recovery Plan (Financial Review – Wednesday 19 January 2011), it again highlights the need to continually promote the opportunities that are available as a result of trades and skills based training. One of the best ways to do this is through the use of role models such as our 2011 Team Australia Skillaroos . It is a big year for these 30 young men and women and already the training for London has stepped up with 4 of the team competing at the French National Competition in Paris. There is nothing like actual ‘match’ practice to really hone the skills that will be required in London and the French National Competition will provide a wonderful opportunity to benchmark each of their skills at this stage of their preparations. We wish them all well and know they will represent Australia with distinction.

Of course, 2011 is a Regional Competition year and my thanks go out to those many dedicated volunteers who have been busy designing competition projects over the Christmas/New Year period. We appreciate their hard work just as we appreciate all the work that Regional Committees are in the midst of as they prepare for Regional Competitions.

I look forward to working with everyone involved with WorldSkills Australia throughout the year as we collectively aim to realise our vision – to contribute to sustainable economic prosperity through the development, recognition and promotion of excellence in skills.

Team Australia Bricklaying Skillaroo Lester Tibbles recently competed in Denmark at the inaugural Danish WorldSkills National Competition in Odense, Funen. The competition ran  from the 27th-29th of January, and hosted 200 of Denmark’s best young skills and tradespeople in 36 skill categories. According to his Expert, Troy Everett “ Lester did so well, I’m very proud of him, he completed the project with two hours to spare despite it being a difficult task.”

Following the Danish National Competition, Lester will then join three of his WorldSkills Australia team mates  Alexis Scott (Ladies’/ Men’s Hairdressing), Alex Odgers (Beauty Care) and Tamika Mackrell (Floristry)  at the 41st WorldSkills French National Finals in February as part of their training for the 2011 WorldSkills International Competition, London.

The three day competition will see 750 French tradesmen and women competing for Gold as well as a place in the French International Team. The event will be held in Paris at the Parc des Expositions Porte de Versailles and will showcase 48 skills and trades.

Watch this space for updates on how Lester, Alex, Alexis and Tamika go in France!

On Australia Day 2011, Skillaroo and Indigo Valley resident Tyson Knight was awarded the Young Citizen of the Year Award for his ‘ongoing and outstanding contributions to the community.’ 

Tyson won a silver medal (plumbing) at the WorldSkills International Competition in Calgary, Canada in 2009. Tyson is now volunteering his time working with the local communities and TAFE's in the region and helping other apprentice plumbers who hope to be World Number One in their Trade.

“We all should be proud of this young Australian from Indigo Valley for achieving his personal goals, but also showing the world how great our Australian apprentices can be.”-  Indigo Shire Council

Congratulations on this fantastic achievement Tyson!

BBM Awards have enabled hundreds of talented young Australians to visit Britain to gain further experience in their chosen pursuits. BBM aims to provide career and skills support to the youth of Australia. Its awards have become a highly respected and a beneficial international pathway from WorldSkills Australia's National Competitions.

The first WorldSkills competitor to receive a BBM scholarship was in 1985. The scholarship was recognised as a valuable pathway for a National medalist because, like WorldSkills Australia, it focused on the aim of achieving global skills excellence.

In 2000 BBM Ltd became a prominent partner with WSA, and the two organisations jointly selected and granted scholarships to many young and skilled competitors upon the completion of each national competition.

BBM recipients from the WSA National Competitions have each proved their dedication to skill excellence in their chosen vocational field. The young Australians travel to the UK to participate in a two week Corporate Leadership Development Program where they test the limits of their mental and physical boundaries in tasks such as an expedition to the hills of North Wales and a sinking ship simulator.

Those who received the BBM Scholarship through WSA are able to enhance their career prospects, positively contribute to Australia's cultural and technical development and help maintain strong links with Britain. They are also able to travel, make life-long friends and have the experience of a lifetime!

Following their success at the 2010 WorldSkills Australia National Competition in Brisbane,
the recipients of the 2011 BBM Scholarships are as follows:

• Adam Morrison – Riverina Murray
• Ben Plummer – Adelaide
• Daniel Kostakakis – Melbourne
• Gerard Allen – Canberra
• Halina Kaufman – Tasmania
• Katherine Keighly – Melbourne
• Lukas Page – Victorian Country
• Milorad Pirovic – Sydney West
• Nicolas Martin – Illawarra
• Ryan Hook – Sydney West
• Sarah Diegmann – South East SA
• Shane Rofe – Illawarra
• Sholto Hurst-Barber – Sydney West
• Tim Pacheco – Victorian Country
• Travis Duff – Brisbane

Congratulations to these 16 highly skilled individuals. All the best in your pursuit of excellence.

"The encouragement that we received from the Australian supporters was unbelievable. From the cheers at the Opening Ceremony when we marched in behind the Australian flag to the countdown at the end of our competition, it felt as if we had an extra person lending a hand throughout the four days of competition” – 2007 Team Australia Skillaroos.

Do you want to be a part of a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience? Do you want to witness Australia’s best trade and skill technicians pit their skills against the rest of the world? What better way to follow the 2011 Skillaroos than as part of the Team Australia Supporters Tour.

WorldSkills Australia is currently compiling a package that will include return economy airfares, accommodation in London plus access to the competition venues as well as the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

If you are interested in being a part of the 2011 Team Australia Supporters Tour please register your interest via mhardy@worldskills.org.au by 18 February 2011, stating your name and contact details. Providing this information will allow us to confirm all costs and finalise all tour details.

Join us as we cheer on the best in Australia.

2009 Team Australia Supporters Tour

Calling WSA Past Competitors - 2008 & 2010!

WorldSkills Australia and Dusseldorp Skills Forum are running the Gen Green Survey and we want to find out what’s hopefully changed and what hasn’t over the past two years.

We know you saw the Green Team in action at the National competition when you were a competitor. And maybe you've learnt about, heard about or work using  "green skills" in training or on the work site.

We want to find out from you what you think about skills and sustainability and then we will share it with training organisations, employers and others via our networks and hopefully create a greater understanding around sustainability and how it can be included in skill based training and work.

The survey should take no more than 10 minute and you go into the draw to win an iPAD.

To complete the survey click here.

Joinery Expert and owner of Westside Joinery, Steve Bulman was recently interviewed for Timber Trader Magazine. Of his involvement with WorldSkills Australia, Steve said it is “great to see these young people blossom as they progress through the ranks. Their confidence grows, their ability to communicate with others and their personal pride receives a terrific boost as they go along.”
Steve has been a regional designer of projects, a regional judge, a designer of national projects, and a chief judge at six national competitions - all in the joinery category.

Steve is also an International Expert having been the Australian Joinery Expert at the competitions in Japan in 2007 and Canada in 2009. "Fingers crossed l'll be going to London in 2011.”

View Timber Trader Magazine article.

The objectives of the James N. Kirby Foundation have been formulated
on a broad charitable and community welfare basis.  The foundation’s
overall goal is to distribute grants to charitable, education and technical
bodies throughout Australia in the areas of health, education, technology
and science, art, literature, the environment, conservation, maintenance
and development of Australia’s natural resources, with particular
attention being given to technical education projects to assist young
Australians achieve their highest standards.

The James N. Kirby Foundation is proud to support Team Australia Skillaroos 2011 and WorldSkills Australia in 2011 and we thank the Board of Directors for their continued and sincerely appreciated support.