Dylan Bolch – Welding his Way to a Secure Future

Twenty-two year old welder Dylan Bolch has big dreams and a firm plan as to how he is going to achieve them with step one being “get named as a member of the Skillaroos team going to Abu Dhabi”.

With this goal firmly in mind, four days a week after working with Macquarie Manufacturing, Dylan goes to TAFE NSW Newcastle to train for a further four hours in the evening. Not content with this, he trains a further two to three hours on a Friday night at work.

“Sometimes it’s tough juggling everything, but I don’t mind making these sacrifices in time as I know I am fully committed to being the best welder I can be,” said Dylan.

“The best thing is I see my skill level increasing each day. At work, we sometimes get jobs just because of my skills and what I can do which I really enjoy.”

Dylan is being supported on his journey to hopefully being picked to go to Abu Dhabi by the Welding Technology Institute of Australia (WTIA).

“It’s great to be supported by the industry as I reach for my goals.”

He is also benefitting from extra training by 2013 Bronze Medallist Lachlan Mayled.

“I spent a couple of weeks with Lachlan and he ‘smashed me’ every day. We really worked hard, plus he was also able to give me pointers about competing at an international level as he has been there himself.”

Dylan was to have travelled to China this month for further training, but this has been postponed; “so I’m hoping to be able to spend some more time with Lachlan instead.”

Dylan’s final hurdle before he knows if he will become a Skillaroo is the Global Skills Challenge. To be held in Newcastle, this is a four-day competition that will pit young people from 15 nations against each other. In welding, there will be eight nations with Dylan up against competitors from Canada, China, Japan, New Zealand, Russia and the USA.

“I’m looking forward to testing myself against overseas welders.”

So what about the rest of Dylan’s plan.  “After I make the team I want to win a medal.  Then one day I’d like to open my own welding business. I’d also like to start a program to help juveniles get into trades.”

If Dylan’s dedication to making the Skillaroos team is anything to go by, the future looks very bright for this young man.

22/05/2017