Six NSW apprentices take on WorldSkills

THE Motor Traders’ Association (MTA) of New South Wales has announced its partnership with the WorldSkills National Championships this week and is also sending six skilled automotive apprentices to Melbourne to compete against the best in the country.

MTA NSW program coordinator and trainer, Mario Borg, said that WorldSkills not only provides a great platform for up-and-coming talent to showcase their abilities but helps to showcase the possibilities of a career in the automotive industry and promote the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector.

“Effective training is crucial in the automotive industry, particularly while the sector is undergoing such significant changes,” he said.

Mr Borg’s sentiments were echoed by MTA NSW chief executive officer, Stavros Yallourdis, who said the competition provides a key opportunity for recognising emerging talent in the industry.

“Not only is WorldSkills a chance to demonstrate the high quality of our training, it’s also an opportunity for our organisation to give back and invest in the future careers of our talented trainees.”

WorldSkills provides an opportunity for Australia’s trainees and apprentices across various industries to test their skills and knowledge against their peers.

Held every two years, the National Championships is the biggest trades and skills competition in the country, with the 2023 event featuring over 50 competitions.

The three-day competition, taking place from 17-19 August at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, will see automotive apprentices battle against one another in a series of challenges designed to test their skills across a range of disciplines.

Automotive apprentices from around the country will be competing at the national event. Each secured their place after winning their respective WorldSkills regional competitions, which featured more than 500 events across 34 regions of Australia, with over 4000 apprentices, trainees and students competing.

Among the talented entrants from New South Wales are apprentice spray painters Neha Singh and Kynan Bonanno, and automotive electrician, Luke Callaway.

Ms Singh, a 21-year-old spray painter says that as a female working in a male-dominated industry she hopes to encourage more women to work in the industry.

“I don’t want to generalise, but some people think that females might not do as well, so it’s good to see other women in the industry, and to be able to prove some of those people wrong,” she said.

“I always hear that women have a better eye for colour matching and greater attention to details, which is a huge part of this trade.”

Mr Borg said Ms Singh’s positive attitude shows that gender is no hurdle to prospective apprentices and encourages more young women to consider a career in the automotive industry.

“Neha is a great student who shows passion for the industry with her fine attitude to detail,” he said.

“She is showing other women that the industry is changing to a much-improved future. The automotive industry will benefit greatly from her can-do attitude.”

Like Ms Singh, fellow spray painter, 19-year-old Kynan Bonanno, showed an interest in the industry from a young age.

Mr Bonanno is competing at the WorldSkills competition just nine months after starting his apprenticeship, and like Ms Singh is already known for his eye for detail.

“This industry is essential … people need their cars to make a living, so without this trade, they would be stuck if they found themselves in an accident,” he explained.

“My love for cars shows in my workmanship. You need a keen eye for detail. It’s a lot of hard work and effort, but when you see the finished product, it makes it all worthwhile.

“Training with the MTA gives me more time learning on site. Having an RTO that comes to the workshop to help me through my certificate and work one-on-one has been a great support network.”

Mr Bonanno’s employer, Ultimate Vehicle Refinishers, said his attention to detail and dedication to his trade makes him ideally suited to the WorldSkills competition.

“Kynan is driven and has an eye for detail. His love for cars shows in his workmanship, and his ability has been proven in leaps and bounds from his first year to now his second year as an apprentice,” said Ultimate Vehicle Refinishers in a statement.

“To be selected for WorldSkills only nine months into his first-year apprenticeship is astounding and it truly shows his dedication to the trade.

“We are very proud of his achievements in such a short space of time and look forward to watching him grow and further his skills and technique in the future.”

The third apprentice to take part in the WorldSkills competition is 22-year-old Luke Callaway.

Mr Callaway was studying an engineering and science degree at university before making the move to become an automotive electrician, and said the job is “right up his alley”.

“I found myself not liking what I was doing. I had a massive passion for working on cars and working on electricals … and after two months I had a business pick me up (as an apprentice) and I really enjoy it. It’s right up my alley,” he said.

“It was obviously a daunting process (moving from university into vocational training), but it’s the risk you sometimes need to take, and the reward is very much worth it.

“My life has ramped up 100 per cent since doing this. I’m healthier and I enjoy what I’m doing. I couldn’t see where I would be in life otherwise.”

Mr Callaway said the opportunity to combine his passion for cars and electronics is likely to be of great benefit as electric vehicles become more commonplace and says his view towards EVs is very positive.

“That’s where the future is heading … I am a very open-minded person and see no downside – it’s just the evolving way of the future,” he said.

“Change is always hard, but I like to embrace it and I’d love to learn how to diagnose, repair, fix, all that kind of stuff with electric cars.”

MTA NSW general manager, Ian Price, said he hopes the WorldSkills competition encourages soon-to-be school leavers to consider a career in the automotive sector, which is currently experiencing a drastic skills shortage.

“It’s so important for us to promote and raise the profile of the automotive sector; especially right now amid the sweeping transformation of our industry, as electric vehicles begin to take centre stage and new skillsets are required to service them” he said.

“In fact, the mechanics of the future will no longer be thought of as having grease on their hands – instead they’ll be known as vehicle ‘technicians’ and will have far more technical skillsets than what has previously been required to work on petrol vehicles.”

Successful medallists from the National Championships will be invited to join the ‘Skills Squad’ offering the chance to travel to the WorldSkills International Competition, taking place in Lyon, France in 2024.