Refrigeration technician Mitchell Barron is Australia’s representative at the InternationalWorldSkills competition next month, testing his abilities against the world’s best.
Barron will compete in the refrigeration category and is keen to see where he ranks on a global scale. “I am also looking forward to experiencing the atmosphere of the competition,” he says.
Barron won the right to compete internationally after winning the 2012 WorldSkills Australia national refrigeration competition, held at ARBS in May last year. He overcame 10 other competitors to take the top spot.
Barron says he already has an advantage over the rest of his Australian team mates because he travelled to Germany late last year for the Chillventa exhibition, which was part of his prize.
While attending the trade fair, courtesy of Lu-Ve Contardo Pacific, Barron took a detour to Belgium to check out the 2012 Euro Skills competition, comprising of European WorldSkills member countries and regions.
This experience, he says, has greatly assisted his preparations.
“Euro Skills was a great experience in that it allowed me to view a competition from the spectator’s point of view,” he says. “Now I’m looking forward to being on the other side of the barriers.”
Barron lives in Sydney and works for TriTech Refrigeration. He received his trade training
at TAFE NSW South Western Sydney Institute – Granville College where he was taught by
a range of “excellent” refrigeration teachers.
He has also undertaken additional training with the TAFE’s head teacher, Brian Mobbs, and past competitors Liam Janetzki and Chris MacDonald.
“WorldSkills Australia helped me to secure the job I wanted, and it has enabled me to travel both nationally and internationally,” he says.
“But most importantly it has made me confident in my skills and made me more determined to succeed in my industry.”
So what kind of training schedule has Barron maintained leading up to the competition?
Initially he averaged about eight hours of training per week, but this has increased to 18 hours per week for the final two months before leaving for Germany, he says.
“I will be competing against competitors from 23 other countries vying for the title of best young fridgie in the world.”
Competition tasks include:
1. Refrigeration fault finding and repair
2. Electrical fault finding and repair
3. Air conditioning system commissioning
4. Refrigeration system installation.
The entire WorldSkills Australian team, known as the Skillaroos, consists of 31 of the most accomplished young tradies and apprentices from across the nation.
Getting the team together is no easy task and begins with the national competition which requires plenty of support from $10 million worth of funding from industry and the government to 300 expert judges and more than 200 volunteers.
Leipzig will involve four days of competition with more than 1000 competitors in 45 skill categories.
Go Skillaroos - oi, oi, oi!
Australia has always been a serious WorldSkills contender with an impressive record of achievement. Check out these results.
1995 France, Paul Pemberton, 4th
1997 Switzerland, Renee Ellen, gold medal
1999 Canada, Chris MacDonald, gold medal
2001 South Korea, Stephanie Bugg, gold medal
2003 Switzerland, Matthew Kues-Sales, gold medal
2005 Finland, Hayden Caine, 9th
2007 Japan, Lachlan Thomas, 5th
2009 Calgary, Nash Mason, 6th
2011 London, Liam Janetzki, silver medal.
Australia’s refrigeration and air conditioning industry has always been a strong supporter of WorldSkills Australia.
Special thanks go to supporters Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA), Heatcraft, Teco Australia, Fluke Australia, Danfoss, Javac, Cigweld, BOC Gases, RACCA, TAFE NSW, ARBS Exhibition, Rothenberger, Lu-Ve Contardo Pacific and E-Oz Energy Skills Australia.
For further information please visit the Team Australia page at the WorldSkills Australia website at www.worldskills.org.au