Swinburne to host 2018 Apprentices Skills Competition

Swinburne will host the 2018 Apprentices Skills Competition, an annual plumbing event giving apprentices across Melbourne the opportunity to benchmark their skills against their peers.

The one-day event will be held at Swinburne’s Croydon campus in the lead up to WorldSkills Australia, a nationwide vocational education, and excellence competition.

Apprentices from Swinburne, Chisholm, RMIT, Federation, and Holmesglen will compete in areas including cutting, joining, bending and fabricating different types of pipework used in the plumbing trade.

James O’Connor, Acting Manager of Swinburne’s plumbing department, says the competition is a great way for students to refine their skills and foster relationships within the plumbing industry.

“Students have the opportunity to work closely with a mentor in the weeks leading up to the event, focussing on the skills required to compete at this level,” says Mr O’Connor.

“The day itself will help strengthen the connections between the students, the institutes, and industry stakeholders, painting a big picture of the plumbing family.”

Being selected as host of the Apprentice Skills Competition enables Swinburne to showcase itself as a leading training provider, closely connected to industry.

“It is a great privilege not only to be involved but to be able to host an event like this,” Mr O’Connor says.

“Swinburne plumbing welcomes the challenge associated with hosting and competing in this event and we look forward to participating in the future.”

Flying the Swinburne flag

Swinburne will be represented in the competition by apprentices Matthew McDowell and Jake Styles.

Certificate III Plumbing apprentice Matthew McDowell says he is looking forward to taking what he’s learnt in the classroom and applying it to a real-world scenario.

“Participating in a competition like this makes me feel like I’m excelling in my goals of becoming a plumber,” says Mr McDowell.

“I’m learning things in areas that I haven’t focussed on before. I’m excited to have the opportunity to be hands-on and use the skills that I’ve learnt.”

About WorldSkills

Competitors in the Apprentices Skills Competition are able to progress to the WorldSkills Australia National Competition, the nation’s premier platform for showcasing trades and skills through regional and national competitions.

The 2018 Apprenticeship Skills Competition will be held at Swinburne’s Croydon campus on Wednesday 29 August, 6.00am – 3.00pm.

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