Competitor Spotlight: Jason Kilsby

Apprentice electrician Jason Kilsby is an ideal example of aspiration meeting opportunity. At just 20 years old, the boy from Port MacDonnel, SA, has always had a fascination with electronics. When it came time to explore his career options, Jason selected a course that he thought would lead him into this passion.

“I was doing a pre-voc class at TAFE and I thought we were going to learn about electronics – fixing circuit boards, etc. – but it turned out that it the starting course to be an electrician,” says Jason. “I wasn’t sure about it at first because I wanted to learn about the electronics, but once we started getting in to the nitty gritty I started to get more and more interested in it.”

Once the course finished, Jason wasted no time in pursuing an apprenticeship and succeeded. Now in the third year of his apprentice, Jason is in the process of completing a Certificate III in Electrotechnology at TAFE SA and hopes to continue his studies and open his own company someday.

When Jason first heard about WorldSkills Australia, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to take on the challenge. “After talking to some people about it, I started to think that there was nothing that I haven’t already done, so I thought that I may as well have a crack.” His courage paid off with a gold medal win, and he really enjoyed the experience. “I had an absolute blast making the project! I would definitely do it again and recommend it to other people. My favourite moment was when they said, ’Time’s up! Tools down!’ and we all gave each other and handshake and talked about how we all went.” Jason is looking forward to showing his skills at the 2016 WorldSkills Australia National Competition, Melbourne. “I am so proud of myself that I did it. Hard work pays off!”

Come see Jason in action at the 2016 WorldSkills Australia National Competition, Melbourne! The National Competition will be held from 6-8 October at Melbourne Showgrounds, and tickets are FREE! To register, visit: http://bit.ly/2c6FhcL