Harlan Wilton

Web Design

  • International Result Silver Medal
  • Region Sydney West
  • Employer Superior IT Technologies

Training Institute: TAFE NSW Western Sydney Institute, Wentworth Falls Campus
Qualification: Diploma of Web Design
National Results: Gold Medal

Skillaroo Harlan Wilton is a creative professional with big ambitions for the future.

How would you describe yourself in five terms or less?
A social owl.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
I enjoy the challenge of creating the solution. It can be a very creative process and usually requires a lot of thought. There%27s always multiple ways to do something, but to create a solution that can easily be deployed again, is easy to change and is decoupled from bugs is always the goal.

Would you recommend your trade to others?
Yes! Web design favours both creative and logical people as there are many subsets of web design. HTML and CSS is extra easy to pick up and only takes a couple of weeks to get the hang of, and having the knowledge of them is very useful. Creative types can get into the actual design of websites – things like wire-frames and PSD designs.

Who is your mentor and why?
My mentor would have to be Jarrad Langdon, who is my Skills Squad coach. I look up to him as he was in my situation many years ago, competing an international competition. He has his own company and is doing well for himself in the industry, which is where I’d like to see myself one day.

Would you recommend others to participate in a WorldSkills Australia competition? What advice would you give them?
Yes! It%27s a great experience. The best advice I can give is to play to your strengths – the competition will have a lot of technical parts of the skill that will be tested. Identify what you are strongest and weakest at. In the competition, just focus on maximising your points in what you%27re good at and pick up extra points where you can.

How do you feel about representing Australia in São Paulo, Brazil?
I%27ll feel honoured carrying the Australian flag…and hopefully a medal! It will be a very humbling experience. It%27ll be a lot of pressure on me to do well, but I feel this will only help in my training.

Expert

Jarrad Langdon

Having firsthand experience with WorldSkills Australia competitions, Deputy Chief Expert in Web Design, Jarrad Langdon is a passionate advocate for the organisation.

How long have you been involved with WorldSkills Australia?
10 years.

Why have you chosen to volunteer your time with WorldSkills Australia?
To give the same opportunity to youth as what I had when I competed in WorldSkills Australia competitions. I enjoy seeing the change within competitors from when they first compete regionally through to when they represent their country.

Describe how your involvement with WorldSkills Australia has benefited you personally and professionally.
WorldSkills Australia has completely changed the direction of my life. I went into a WorldSkills Regional Competition fresh out of school and found that it fast-tracked my career.

Would you recommend others to get involved in WorldSkills Australia competitions? What advice would you give them?
I would highly recommend that all youth get involved with WorldSkills Australia in order to benchmark their level of skill.

What advice would you give to the 2015 Skillaroos?
Make the most of this once in a lifetime opportunity to further your career and, more importantly, your personal growth.