June Update

On the 20th-22nd of May, the first WSA National Competition for 2014 was held with the running of the Refrigeration National Competition in conjunction with ARBS in Melbourne. Putting on an event such as the Refrigeration National Competition requires a tremendous amount of organisation, planning and effort. The support that we receive from all our sponsors, in particular our major sponsors, Heatcraft and Refrigerant Reclaim Australia, is greatly appreciated and pivotal to the success of the competition. It is a testament to the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning industry’s corporate dedication and commitment to skill development that all our sponsors have supported WSA for many years which has enabled us to consistently showcase the high standards of the industry both here and in Australia.

As I often say, the real strength of WSA are the people or the ‘WorldSkills family’. As such, I would like to acknowledge here the efforts of Chris MacDonald (Refrigeration Chief Judge) and all the judging team. We are the envy of many member countries of WorldSkills International due to the quality personnel who continually give of their time to deliver WorldSkills competitions. These ‘volunteers’ – past competitors, teachers, trainers, employers, etc. all bring a wealth of experience, knowledge and passion which not only ensures our program of competitions are successful but they also act as mentors for the next generation of apprentices and trainees which has significant flow on effects for not only the individual but for Australia as a whole. Congratulations to all involved in staging the 2014 WSA Refrigeration National Competition – a perfect entrée to the 2014 WSA National Competition to be held in September in Perth.

Finally, congratulations to WSA Board member Kevin Harris who was awarded the Public Service Medal (PSM) as part of the recent Queens Birthday Honours. Kevin received this honour for ‘outstanding public service, particularly to the vocational education and training sector’. Congratulations Kevin on much deserved recognition of your work in the VET sector, particularly with TAFE NSW.