Martin Cruz

Industry 4.0

• Region Melbourne East
• WorldSkills Accolade 2025 National Gold Medal
• Training Institute Swinburne University of Technology
• International Expert Fengxian He – Swinburne University of Technology

 “I realised this path was for me when I applied my knowledge to help my friends fix things. I want to become someone who can revolutionise modern society through technology.”

Martin Cruz, an Electrical Engineering student, is a living juxtaposition, balancing both a creative and scientifically-minded side.

“I have a wide range of things I love to do – working on my car and learning about the intricate details of the engineer’s design; most sports, like footy and boxing; and last but not least, music and art, especially composing songs on my laptop.”

Martin first learned about the WorldSkills competition through his Swinburne teacher, and took the opportunity to compete with his peer, Felix McPhail in Industry 4.0. The skill is closely aligned with his Electrical Engineering studies, using data, automation and interconnected technologies to modernise manufacturing systems and processes. Together, they took out Gold at the 2025 National Championships.

“The competition really pushed my ability to work under time constraints. It helped me realise putting myself under pressure allows me to grow and learn more effectively.”

On the personal side, he discovered the benefits of collaboration and prioritising his health and wellbeing. “It made me sharper throughout the day and able to communicate more clearly.”

Upon learning about his 2026 Skillaroos Training Squad selection, Martin says he was in shock and lost for words. His mum wasn’t, “She started celebrating.”

Looking into the future, Martin hopes to one day run his own business building custom parts. “I’d like to tackle the most complicated jobs and be able to work with top-of-the-line technology.”

Alongside that, he says he’s keen to “find my community”, a collection of likeminded people both within and outside his industry, whether at home or on a Global scale.

Three words that describe you – Creative, Automotive, Active

Industry 4.0 Team

Teammate: Felix McPhail

Expert: Fengxian He – Swinburne University of Technology