WorldSkills Regional Competitions run and won

AUTOMOTIVE students from across New South Wales gathered to compete at the WorldSkills Regional Competition for Automotive Mechanics in Western Sydney this week.

Winning the important round was 21-year-old third-year apprentice Callahan Smith who is now in the running to compete at the International WorldSkills Championships in Shanghai, China, in 2026.

Working to a set time limit, Mr Smith beat his rivals by demonstrating his skills across a range of problem-solving challenges, including brake repair, electrical checks and engine management diagnostics.

“Winning the WorldSkills Regional Competition is a huge achievement,” said Mr Smith.

“It was great to see how I could apply my skills under pressure and I’m excited to move to the next round.

“There are so many skilled apprentices in my course at TAFE NSW and I enjoyed seeing how the other students approached the competition.

“I like the challenge of working with cars, pulling things apart, finding the problem, and putting them back together.

“It’s more challenging that I thought, and it’s important to combine both the practical skills and the theory we learn at TAFE NSW.”

With high demand for automotive technicians, the WorldSkills competition celebrates upcoming talent as it readies to bolster the industry.

Australia has been experiencing one of the longest standing trade skills shortages, with demand for skilled technicians remaining steady for close to two decades, according to the NSW Productivity Commission.

As the need for qualified technicians continues, a pipeline of skilled apprentices is required to future-proof the industry.

“The need for qualified automotive technicians continues to be one of the highest in the state,” said TAFE NSW head teacher for automotive Daniel Birin.

“We are committed to training high-quality apprentices who will be ready to hit the ground running.

“We are focused on delivering apprentices who have the job-ready skills to succeed in the industry and competitions like this give them the chance to put those skills to the test.”