After two years of intensive training and competition, WorldSkills Australia has officially announced the 25 apprentices, trainees and students that will make up the Skillaroos team to represent Australia at the 43rd WorldSkills Competition in Brazil this August.
The team is made up of the best in the country in their respective trades with Beau Kupris representing refrigeration and air conditioning and Dylan Di Martino for plumbing and heating.
WorldSkills is the biggest vocational education and skills showcase in the world. This year’s competition will see 59 countries and over 1,200 competitors competing in 50 skill categories.
To be held from August 11-16, 2015 at the Anhembi Exhibition Centre in São Paulo, Brazil, the competition will utilise 213,000m² of competition space – equivalent to the size of 17 Olympic sized swimming pools.
The Skillaroos will compete in 23 skills categories and are between 18 and 25 years of age.
Worldskills Australia CEO, Mark Callaghan, said team members have endured many hours of training and preparation to get to this stage.
"But it is only the tip of the iceberg as they now hone their skills to take on the best of the world," he said.
"To be chosen to represent your country in any discipline is a tremendous achievement, and those who have been named as a 2015 Skillaroo should be incredibly proud.
"Each member of the 2015 Skillaroos will not only represent their country, they will also represent their respective industries and collectively, will showcase the high quality of vocational education and training that exists in Australia."
The Skillaroos will continue their training regimes over the coming months before WorldSkills Australia sends the team off to Brazil in style at a Farewell Function to be held on August 4, 2015 at Turner Hall, TAFE NSW Ultimo College.