Four TAFE NSW Orange trades students will compete to represent Australia in the nation’s largest vocational skills competition next month.

TAFE NSW Orange Mechanical Engineering student Lachlan Devlin is among more than 500 vocational students who will compete in Melbourne over three days with their eye on a coveted gold medal and a chance to represent Australia on the world stage in France next year.

WorldSkills hosts regional, national and international competitions which celebrate excellence and showcase vocational educational and training. Winners from the Nationals are in the running to be selected for the Australian Skillaroos team to compete against more than 75 countries. The international championships have run every two years since 1950.

Lachlan, 18, said that his anticipation was building after months of mentorship by TAFE NSW teachers and targeted training camps as he packs his tools of the trade.

“I feel privileged to be attending a national competition and will no doubt meet many like-minded people and advance my skills. I’m grateful to be representing TAFE NSW as the competition will open more opportunities for my career as a mechanical engineer,” Lachlan said.

“I’ve learnt many practical skills already, particularly how to work under pressure at the regional competition and my TAFE NSW Teachers and mentors have been so supportive along the way.”

Over 3 days, the national competition will assess Lachlan’s expertise across his practical skills on the lathe machine, planning skills by creating a job plan, and analytical skills by calculating speeds and feeds.

TAFE NSW Executive Director Education and Skills, Adam Bennett, said WorldSkills is the country’s largest vocational education and excellence competition.

“Four extremely skillful TAFE NSW Orange students have earned the right to compete to represent Australia after upstaging some of the best local talent at the Macquarie region WorldSkills competition,” he said.

“The ultimate goal for Lachlan will be to win a gold medal, which will earn him a place on the Australian Skillaroos team to compete with the world’s best at the 47th WorldSkills International Competition finals to be held in France next year.

“WorldSkills competitions provide TAFE NSW students with amazing, and potentially life-changing, learning opportunities.

“It creates an exciting, interactive and engaging environment for participants. They will learn important life-long skills that will not only help them succeed individually but will help deliver a highly skilled workforce.”

The WorldSkills Australia 2023 National Championships will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 17-19 August.

There are four students from TAFE NSW Orange who are competing in the National WorldSkills Championships. Please contact TAFE NSW media team to arrange an interview.

Media contact: Emma Curtis, TAFE NSW Communications Specialist, emma.curtis15@tafensw.edu.au, 02 7920 5000.