New Zealand ‘Tool Blacks’ bring home medals

WorldSkills New Zealand media release – 11 July 2013

New Zealand ‘Tool Blacks’ bring home medals

The ‘Tool Blacks’ have done New Zealand proud by winning a Silver Medal and several Medallions of Excellence at the WorldSkills Championships held this month in Leipzig.

Aucklander Michael West took the Silver in the Aircraft Maintenance category after competing against the best young aircraft technicians from eleven other countries. He was also awarded the Best of Nation Medal for achieving the highest overall score of all of the New Zealand competitors.

Tool Blacks won Medallions of Excellence in the Autobody Repair, Sheet Metal Technology, Electrical Installation and Joinery categories.

Michael West, an aircraft technician at Whenuapai Airbase, says he feels really privileged to have taken part of such a prestigious event.

“It really opened my eyes to the talent that’s out there, and the level of competition was extreme. People competing there are the best at what they do and everyone was operating at the top of their game.”

WorldSkills New Zealand Chief Executive Peter Spencer says the great results show New Zealand is up with the best in the world when it comes to vocational training.

“WorldSkills Championships are an opportunity for countries to showcase their standards of vocational training and many countries spend a lot of money to achieve good results. The continuing improvement in New Zealand rankings, despite our shoestring budget, shows the high calibre of both our candidates the vocational education we have available.

“The Tool Blacks had to face off against opponents with a lot of competition experience. But they have broad skills and solid workplace experience, and that is what carried us through.”

More than 1000 competitors from more than 50 countries competed in 46 Skill categories at this year’s WorldSkills Championships. New Zealand sent a team of 13 highly skilled young tradesmen and women to compete, and WorldSkills New Zealand Event Coordinator Sally Gray says each team member performed exceptionally well.

“These young people put many hours into training and fundraising for the Championships, and they can be very proud of their achievements. Participating in WorldSkills competitions is life-changing and our 2013 competitors will use this experience to lead them on to greater achievement in both their professional and personal lives.”

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View photos of learn more at:

• www.worldskills.org.nz (WorldSKills New Zealand)

• www.worldskills.org (WorldSkills International official media site).

The New Zealand team are:

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