Stuart Henry (Hasluck, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was fortunate enough to attend the WorldSkills Australia awards presentation ceremony and 25th anniversary gala dinner in Melbourne on Monday night, following the WorldSkills Australia National Competition. The WorldSkills Australia National Competition is an incredible event which brings together young people from all over Australia to showcase their skills in traditional trades and new technology vocations. The competition covers 39 categories of skills from auto-electrical to floristry and web design, with over 100 awards presented this year to many deserving young Australians. There are 29 WorldSkills regions in Australia, with the best performing region winning the Evatt Shield. I believe that Tasmania won it this year. More than 55,000 people attended the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre between 5 and 7 May to watch apprentices and tradespeople from all over Australia work in a variety of skilled trades: bricklaying, plumbing, painting and decorating, cooking, garment production, welding, heavy vehicle mechanics and many more. Many of those visiting the exhibition took the opportunity to try a trade.

I am very pleased to say that five young people from my electorate of Hasluck made the long trip across the Nullarbor to participate in the national WorldSkills competition, and I was honoured to be there to support them. Gavin Zimmer, from Lesmurdie, won the gold medal for the heavy vehicle mechanics category. He lives in the same suburb as I do, and I congratulate him on a fantastic effort. He is a fine young man and a great example of the fine tradesmen produced by the Caterpillar Institute in Guildford, Western Australia. From Forrestfield, Caleb Jacobs represented WA in cabinet making and Daniel Dixon in carpentry. Brian Hart, from Gooseberry Hill, represented Western Australia in the retail-baking (pastry) category and Jonathon Gronbeck, from Lesmurdie, represented WA in the welding category. All of these competitors did a fine job of representing Western Australia, and the skills developed in Western Australia were accorded high recognition. These fine young people are great examples of what our apprenticeship and traineeship programs are developing, and I would like to congratulate them all on their outstanding performances. Making a commitment to such a competition to demonstrate the skills you have acquired during your apprenticeship or traineeship is a fantastic thing to do.

Since the beginning of WorldSkills Australia, around 50,000 young Australians have measured themselves against their peers in their industries. WorldSkills Australia, formerly Work Skill Australia, has been operating since 1981 when it was founded by Jack Dusseldorp. WorldSkills Australia has participated in every international competition since 1983 and has introduced many new ideas to the foundation, such as ‘skills of the future’ categories. These include mechatronics, manufacturing team challenge, landscape and IT software applications. Australia also hosted the Worldskills International competition in 1988.

Competitions highlight the importance of vocational education and training as a career option. The competition stimulates the academic motivation of many students by focusing on the fun of learning through interesting and diverse skill challenges. In my former life as the CEO of the Master Plumbers and Gasfitters Association and the Master Painters Association of WA I was heavily involved in vocational and technical education and skills training. I remain a strong and vocal advocate of skill based training, and I am convinced more than ever that promoting vocational and technical education and training is the best way to address the skills shortages faced by Australian business.

I had the privilege of attending the International WorldSkills Competition in St Gallen, Switzerland in 1997, and I have been a strong supporter of the state and national WorldSkills competitions for over 18 years. I can personally attest to the enormous value these competitions provide to the training and skills of our workforce.

WorldSkills Australia announced their intention to bid against Sweden and the United Kingdom to host the 2011 International WorldSkills Competition, a bid which was well supported by the Australian government and Australians generally. Unfortunately, out of the three competing bids, Australia was unsuccessful, with the United Kingdom being selected to host the International WorldSkills Competition in 2011.

I congratulate Mr Bob Puffett AM, Chairman of WorldSkills Australia, and his entire team on organising and executing this year’s competition. In particular, I congratulate all those who participated and encourage them to use the experience to encourage others to take part in this wonderful opportunity provided by the WorldSkills competitions.