A group of Illawarra's best apprentices proved in the WorldSkills national competition that the region is home to the nation's finest vocational skills
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Twelve Illawarra apprentices and students competed in the three-day WorldSkills Australia 2023 National Championships in Melbourne.
In the group, four won gold and two took home a silver medal for their respective trades.
Ethan Everett won the bricklaying competition as he faced off against eight other bricklayers from across Australia.
He said the Illawarra team have been training for the regional and national competitions for ten months.
They will soon find out who joins the Australian Skillaroos team to join the WorldSkills International Competition finals in 2024.
"The training is going to ramp up now, and it's going to be a long year, but it's going to be hopefully a very rewarding one," Mr Everett said.
The gold winner gave a shout-out to the WorldSkills Illawarra team leaders Mathew McGlashan and Jenelle Charlton for training the team.
The 21-year-old foreman created a curved brick wall, AFL goal posts, and angled glazed bricks in the shape of 23.
"It was in the Melbourne exhibition centre, and it was absolutely huge with over 60 trades all competing and yeah three gruelling days, but you can be prepared, but nothing prepares you for exactly how it is," he said.
Hannah Gerritsen not only won gold in the hairdressing competition, she was awarded the highest score ever recorded nationally for hairdressing of 95.84.
"I did a lady's cut and colour on a mannequin, and then a men's perm, it was a permed mullet, it was lovely," Ms Gerritsen said.
The 19-year-old competed against 11 other hairdressers, judged on her haircut, styling and colouring skills.
She enjoyed walking around to watch the other 59 competitions on show and see the support shown for trades.
"A big part of the opening and closing ceremony was focused on skill shortage and how important it is for trades to be shown as something to strive for it. It's not just a backup plan when you can't get into uni, it's actually a career," she said.
Michael Bowen took home gold in the fitting competition and Renee Bridges won gold in the patisserie competition.
Joseph Cramp won silver in the construction steel work competition.
A year-12 Dapto High School student Emily Speirs won silver for the hospitality food and beverage competition in the Vocational Education in Schools (VETis) division.
The competitors will soon find out who will join the Skillaroo Australian team to compete in the international competition in France in 2024.
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Marlene Even
Journalist at the Illawarra Mercury. Previously a radio and podcast host at 2SER Radio.
Journalist at the Illawarra Mercury. Previously a radio and podcast host at 2SER Radio.
