Victoria invests in vocational education and training by hosting national skills competition

Melbourne will host Australia’s best apprentices, trainees and students at the nation’s largest trades and skills showcase – the 2016 WorldSkills Australia National Competition.

Held every two years, the competition is expected to see over 500 competitors from around the country compete in automotive services, building and construction, client services, computing and business, hospitality services and metals and engineering competitions between 6-8 October 2016.  Winners from Regional Competitions held throughout 2015 will demonstrate individual and collective technical skills to be used to perform specific tasks for each of the 60 professional skills and will simulate real work challenges that must be completed according to industry standards.

Three days of intensive competition will reveal Australia’s most skilled young people under the age of 23, who may have the opportunity to represent Australia as a Skillaroo at the 44th WorldSkills Competition in Abu Dhabi, UAE, in October 2017.

The 2014 WorldSkills Australia National Competition was held at Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre, utilising 17,000m² of competition space.  The event proved beneficial for the local economy, with an economic impact of approximately $15 million for the City of Perth that included over 4,000 bed nights, close to 1,350 return flights and over 21,000 meals.  The impact of the 2016 National Competition is expected to be even larger, utilising over 25,000m² of competition space with an estimated economic impact of $20 million for the Victorian economy and over 40,000 spectators expected to attend, including school students seeking to pursue a career in trade or skill.

The Victorian Minister for Training and Skills, the Hon. Steven Herbert officially announced the dates and location for the 2016 WorldSkills Australia National Competition this morning at the Victorian launch of National Skills Week.

“We are excited to be playing host to the 2016 WorldSkills Australia National Competition and to the best young skilled apprentices and trainees from around Australia,” said Minister Herbert.

“We’re investing in skills and training and building Victoria as the Education State, to prepare young Victorians for the jobs of the future.”

Minister Herbert also acknowledged the outstanding effort by the 2015 Skillaroos, a team of 26 of Australia’s most current and highly-skilled representatives, at the 43rd WorldSkills Competition in São Paulo, Brazil, earlier this month.  Following an impressive performance, the Skillaroos returned home with a combined total of three silver medals in Industrial Mechanics Millwright, Web Design and Jewellery, two bronze medals in Plumbing & Heating and Bricklaying and eleven medallions of excellence.

“Only a short time ago, the 2015 Skillaroos were standing in the same shoes as this year’s regional competitors,” says WorldSkills Australia CEO, Mark Callaghan.  “Two years of hard work and dedication paid off as these amazing young Australians returned home from the international competition helping us achieve a ranking of 12th in the world.”

“Now, Australia’s next generation of trades and skills talent is hoping to follow in the 2015 Skillaroos footsteps.  We look forward to seeing what they will bring to the 2016 WorldSkills Australia National Competition and, if successful taking them through to Abu Dhabi in 2017.”

WorldSkills Australia Regional Competitions will continue until the end of October. More information on Regional Competitions can be found here.

ENDS