TAFE NSW Wetherill Park student, Sebastian (Seb) Kerr, has the chance to represent Western Sydney at the WorldSkills National competition for cookery.

Demand for chefs in Western Sydney is expected to grow by more than 20 per cent over the next five years, requiring a pipeline of skilled workers to meet the demand.

In celebration and recognition of the skilled apprentices ready to join the industry, TAFE NSW Wetherill Park recently held the annual bi-Worldskills Australia 2024 Regional Competition in Cookery.

12 students put their cookery skills to the test, competing for the chance to represent Western Sydney at the National Championships next year.

Working to a set time limit, students were required to prepare a two-course menu with three portions of each dish, demonstrating skills in different cookery methods such as baking and braising, and kitchen preparation.

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The Gold Medal winner was 18-year-old TAFE NSW Wetherill Park student, Seb, a second-year apprentice completing the Certificate III in Commercial Cookery.

“Winning the WorldSkills Regional Competition is an exciting step in my career. It was great to see so many other motivated students like me at the competition, sharing a passion for cooking,” said Seb.

“Since a young age I’ve known I want to be a chef and I want to go all the way to the top of the industry. My dream is to one day own a hatted restaurant, specialising in Italian fine dining.”

“Having the chance to represent Western Sydney at the National Championships, and maybe even the WorldSkills International Championships, would be an incredible experience and a chance to get my name out there.”

Seb is currently an apprentice at Fairfield RSL Club, where he has been putting his TAFE NSW training to work.

“We are very happy and proud of Seb’s progression and his achievements. We have been impressed to see his skills continue to grow” said Seb’s supervisors at the club.

TAFE NSW Commercial Cookery Teacher Grant Farrant is excited to see Western Sydney’s apprentices showing their skills.

“We have extremely high-quality apprentices coming through TAFE NSW Wetherill Park. It’s great to see students like Seb have their skills celebrated,” said Grant.

“We are focused on delivering apprentices who have the job-ready skills to succeed in the industry and this competition gives them the chance to put those skills to the test.”

Media contact: Catherine Johnston, TAFE NSW Communications Specialist, catherine.johnston22@tafensw.edu.au, 0481 007 746