TasTAFE apprentices win five medals at national championships

TasTAFE apprentices and former apprentices have excelled at the WorldSkills Australia National Championships, bringing home a five-medal haul.

Team Tasmania won five silver medals at Australia’s biggest skills competition, testing their skills against the nation’s best apprentices and trainees under the age of 23.

The championships were held in Melbourne from 17-19 August with the results announced at the closing ceremony on Sunday night (20 August).

TasTAFE CEO, Grant Dreher said the result showed TasTAFE’s training matched it with the best in Australia.

“We are excited for the medallists and extremely proud that all of them have done their apprenticeship training at TasTAFE.”

Mr Dreher said TasTAFE was a long-term supporter of WorldSkills, hosting regional competitions on its campuses each cycle and helping prepare Team Tasmania for the national competitions.

“In the lead up to the national we provided access to TasTAFE’s facilities so competitors could practice and many of our teachers worked with competitors in their own time to provide training and mentoring.

“TasTAFE teachers were also judges for some of the skills competitions at the nationals, recognising their high level of expertise in their industry area.  Our Education Managers, Tim Cox and Allyson Davies, also provided mentoring and support to the Tasmanian team as team leaders.

“I’d like to congratulate the medallists on their outstanding success and thank all of the TasTAFE teachers, staff and supporters for their incredible support of Team Tasmania,” Mr Dreher said.

Team Tasmania’s silver medallists are:

Welding - Beau Malkin (Crisp Bros. & Haywards, Launceston)

Beauty Therapy - Cassie Burnett (Inner Beauty, Launceston)

Hairdressing - Emily Geard (Caj Hair and Beauty, Moonah)

Retail Butchery - Jessica Bartles (Vermey’s Quality Meats, Sandy Bay)

Plastering - Jake Browne (Tasmanian Professional Plaster, Claremont)