How do you prepare for the WorldSkills Competition, are there any special training methods?

From our perspective, WorldSkills is all about ‘work skills’. So, in effect, all Skillaroos are training while they working. This is complemented with what we term ‘match practice’ – training in a competitive environment.

Are there any skills that require special training or preparation to compete at the international level?

Given that work methods and techniques are not the same from country to country, there will always be some areas that will require additional attention to ensure the Skillaroos are well prepared prior to the International competition.

What are some of the challenges that you have to deal with during the training, preparation and Competition?

The main challenge is being able to train with equipment and materials that will be used at the International competition. In many cases, this equipment and material is not what we work with here in Australia so being able to train on and with equipment and materials that will be used in Leipzig, and often are not available in Australia, is a challenge.

How do you anticipate that your Competitors will do at the WorldSkills Competition in terms of medals and placement?

All we hope for is that all Skillaroos will compete to the best of their ability and that it is a positive experience for them. If they do this, we feel that we will be well placed to win medals and to place well.