Team WA prepare for Ultimate Skills Challenge

Challenge Stadium in Perth often welcomes elite sporting teams through its doors, and last weekend was no exception when it hosted training sessions for WorldSkills Australia’s WA State champions.

Team WA came together as part of their training for the WorldSkills Australia National Competition, and WorldSkills Western Australia State Manager Fiona Johnson said this time they left their tools at home.

“The day was designed to achieve a number of outcomes,” Fiona said, “It was also a chance for them to meet as they hadn’t been together as a group before.

“We had activities which were designed to test their ability to handle pressure and to emphasise the importance of planning an approach.

“This year we also incorporated tasks that were a personal challenge. In 2012, we took the team over the Sydney Harbour Bridge after the competition. This year we wanted to do something to give team members a chance to face their fear before the big day, so we had the ‘Leap of Faith’, where they launched from height onto a trapeze.

“We also had a low ropes course where teams had to negotiate a number of obstacles without touching the ground.”

Former national competitors Jaycob Hargreaves and Aaron Purdy shared experiences from the 2012 National Competition with the group, and national judges Ron Simeon and Brian Wilkinson also gave advice.

The team  wished refrigeration mechanics Michael Snook and William Stewart all the best as they lead the charge from the west. The pair will depart for Melbourne this week for the 2014 WorldSkills Australia National Refrigeration Competition being held from 20 to 22 May at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

“The next time the team will come together will be for the official uniform presentation in August,” Fiona said.

Fiona is confident Team WA will come away with medals.

“We have a really strong team this year, and we will be on home ground,” she said. “We can’t wait!”