Three Swinburne VET students named best in Australia at WorldSkills 2025

Three Swinburne University of Technology Vocational Education and Training (VET) students have claimed gold at the 2025 WorldSkills Australia National Championships, held 11-14 June in Brisbane. Joao Marcus topped the country in Mechatronics, while Martin Cruz and Felix McPhail won gold in Industry 4.0.

The competition took place at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, bringing together Australia’s most talented vocational students and apprentices to compete across more than 60 skills-based categories.

Swinburne had ten students compete in six categories including Additive Manufacturing, Bricklaying, Graphic Design Technology, Industry 4.0, and PLC Programming (Mechatronics). They were supported by experienced Swinburne mentors and judges, including vocational staff and alumni.

Martin Cruz and Felix McPhail competing in the Industry 4.0 competition

Industry 4.0 focuses on advanced manufacturing using data, automation and interconnected technologies. Gold winner Felix McPhail, currently studying the Advanced Diploma of Engineering Technology (Electrical), said the competition helped him to grow professionally.

“I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to participate in this competition as the software, technology and concepts explored are extremely relevant to the modern electrical engineering industry,” said Felix.

“Following the competition, I plan on further familiarising myself with Industry 4.0 technologies and their real-world applications, in hopes of eventually starting my engineering career in a role related to Industry 4.0,” he said.

WorldSkills competitions begin at regional level. Top competitors go on to the national championships and a select few progress onto the international stage. The competitions are judged by industry experts who assess both technical and employability skills. 

Swinburne Pro Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Vocational Education and Training, Madelyn Bolch, said the results were testament to the students’ talent and the power of applied learning.

“We are so proud of Joao, Martin and Felix,” said Madelyn.

“WorldSkills is about more than just medals. It’s about giving students the chance to grow, challenge themselves and show what they can do in real-world settings. These results show the strength of Swinburne’s industry-connected, practical learning. Our students are gaining skills that set them up for long, successful careers,” she said.