The Illawarra Connection has called on the business community to get behind the region's competitors on Australia's team for the International WorldSkills Olympics in Brazil next year.
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It follows the achievement of TAFE Illawarra students who won a record nine medals at the 2014 National WorldSkills Competition in September.
Any medal means a competitor is the best at their trade and is seen as a testament to their skills and commitment, as well as the training they have received.
Illawarra Institute director Dianne Murray said Illawarra competitors made up a quarter of the national team going to compete internationally in Sao Paulo in 2015.
She said a warm-up event for the whole national team would be held in Wollongong.
Ms Murray was joined at the Illawarra Connection dinner by Illawarra Regional WorldSkills Committee chairman Troy Everett.
They hosted a table featuring the nine medal winners from the Illawarra.