Local TAFE NSW student puts their skills to the test on world stage

A local TAFE NSW graduate Holly Oates has sharpened her foristry skills in preparation to step into a skills battlefeld with his industry peers in Melbourne this month.

The 17-year-old Alstonville local said her anticipation was building after months of mentorship from her TAFE NSW teachers and guidance at her workplace.

“Ever since I did work experience in Year 10 at Alstonville Florist, I’ve known foristry is something I want to pursue. I’ve really enjoyed gaining hands on experience throughout my studies and in my day-to-day work and am excited to be able to showcase my skills on the big stage soon,” Ms Oates said.

“It was my teacher who suggested I compete in WorldSkills, and I haven’t looked back since. The support from my teachers and fellow competitors has been invaluable. I recently visited TAFE NSW Tamworth for a training course which helped me hone my skills in cutting fowers, making decorative displays, and arranging bouquets, and I’ve also been working with my boss on different techniques.”

The WorldSkills Australia 2023 National Championships will see over 500 vocational students converge in Melbourne over three days with their eye on a coveted gold medal.

Holly is one of many TAFE NSW students to be competing in the national competition.

WorldSkills hosts regional, national, and international competitions which celebrate excellence and showcase vocational educational and training. Winners from the Nationals are in the running to be selected for the Australian Skillaroos team to compete against more than 75 countries. The international championships have run every two years since 1950.

TAFE NSW Executive Director Education and Skills, Dr Raf Marcellino, said: “WorldSkills is Australia’s largest vocational education and excellence competition.”

“These highly skilled students have earned the right to represent Australia after besting all other local talent at the regional WorldSkills competition in Sydney,” Dr Marcellino said.

“The ultimate goal for

Holly will be to win a gold medal, which could earn her a place on the Australian Skillaroos team to compete with the world’s best at the 47th WorldSkills International Competition fnals to be held in France in 2024.”

“WorldSkills competitions provide TAFE NSW students with amazing and life-changing learning opportunities.

“WorldSkills creates an exciting, interactive, and engaging environment for participants. The WorldSkills competition lifts their experience beyond technical mastery to embrace important life-long skills that will help them succeed individually and provide Australia with a worldclass skilled workforce.”

The WorldSkills Australia 2023 National Championships will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 17-19 August.

A special delivery for Our Kids

Our Kids is delighted to announce that the Seaton Foundation has generously donated over $37,000 worth of equipment to Lismore Base Hospital’s Special Care Nursery, Children’s Ward and Women’s Care Unit.

The equipment consists of a Humidicrib, a Coaxial Ophthalmoscope, a new manikin and Resusright Juno training monitor, and a Bilibed Blanket.

“This is a tremendous investment to Our Kids and to our local families,” Rebekka Battista, Our Kids Fundraising Coordinator, said.

“The Seaton Foundation is proud to be able to support Our Kids by providing much needed equipment,”

Belinda Seaton, Seaton Foundation Founder, said.

“We have been supporting Our Kids for the last three years and love how our partnership helps so many families in our region.”

Our Kids works with the Nursing Unit Mangers in the paediatric department of each local hospital from Grafton to Tweed, to assess which items are most needed.

Through donations, bequests, regular giving, workplace giving and events, monies and awareness are raised to help purchase equipment on the ‘Our Kids

Wishlist’.

Since 2001, Our Kids, through the generosity of the community, has purchased over $2.3 million worth of equipment for local hospitals. This equipment helps keep our kids local when needing medical care.

If you or your business would like to partner with Our Kids, please email info@ourkids. org,au or phone the Our Kids Offce on 6620 2705.

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