National Competition - Sydney 2008

WorldSkills Australia National Competition, Sydney 2008

The National Competition was held at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour from 11-13th July.

50 trade and skill competition categories were on  view, as was  513 of Australia's best skills and tradespeople  in action  competing for the national title and a gold medal. Medallists may also be eligible to represent the country in the International Competition in Canada, 2009.

The 2008 WorldSkills Australia National Competition was officially opened by the Hon. John Hatzistergos- NSW Acting Minister for Education and Training on the morning of 11 July.

The WorldSkills Australia Try’a Trade activities were a huge success with 30 categories throughout the compeition. Floristry, Jewellery and Meat Retailing proved to be the most popular.

One of the the many highlights this year, apart from the ever popular bricklaying ‘speed test', were the 14 Skillaroos and 8 BBM scholarship winners from 2007 involved in various capacities throughout the competition- from Judges/Chief Judges to Try'a Trade Coordinators.

"A Night At The Oscars" was the theme of the Presentation Ceremony held on the evening of the 14 July at the Gothic inspired Sydney State Theatre. The event was coordinated by WSA National Office and managed by Event Management staff and students from Northern Sydney Institute of TAFE,Ryde College. The MC for the evening  was Adam Spencer and entertainment was provided by Wes Carr, the 2008 Australian Idol Winner and Australian Institute of Music (AIM) students.  Over 150 medal were presented.

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About the National Competition...

WorldSkills Australia National Competition is Australia's largest and most prestigious trade and skills showcase. It is held every two years and is the culmination of the WorldSkills regional competition. This is a three day national event where over 500 young people drawn from all regions of Australia come together to vie for the title of Australian National Champion in their chosen trade.

The event attracts a wide range of visitors from the Vocational Education and Training sector along with visitors from high schools, industry and the community.

The competition concludes after the third intensive day and is celebrated at a Presentation Ceremony. Each competitor is congratulated and the medal winners are recognised. At the end of each National Competition, WorldSkills Australia also presents the Evatt Shield to the state who has shown the most outstanding performance.

The young medallists of the WorldSkills National Competition are rightfully titled the country's best in their vocational training and educational field. Winners are often overwhelmed by the knowledge that they represent the best in skills achievement. Many return home with offers of employment, media recognition and a sense of pride and gratitude from the community.

If eligible, medallists may be selected to represent Australia the following year at the WorldSkills International Competition. Other national medallists can also apply for prestigious scholarships provided as WorldSkills International Pathways.

Competition Video Gallery

View competition footage and daily blogs from the 2008 WorldSkills Australia National Competition, Sydney.