Dubbo business, Luke Cross Engineering and Rigging, is supporting employee, Clinton Larkings as he prepares to depart for Russia to compete at the 45th WorldSkills International Championships.
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Mr Larkings embraced the WorldSkills competition eagerly, and the 'boy from the bush' earned a place on the 2019 WorldSkills Australia international team - the Skillaroos.
Mr Larkings, a fitting and turning apprentice in Dubbo, is one of fifteen Skillaroos selected from across Australia to compete at the championships after winning a series of gruelling regional, state and national competitions that kicked-off more than a year ago.
The event will bring together more than 1,600 young people, representing 66 countries and regions, who will compete across 56 skill competitions in Kazan, Russia.
Mr Larkings said he "can't wait to represent Australia in Kazan and challenge the best of the best in his skill".
"This opportunity is very special to me as it has been a long journey and it is very soon going to come to an end as a competitor," Mr Larkings said.
"I'm very excited to compete at the world stage against the worlds best in my field and to see how my skills stack up against the best in the world.
"I still can't believe a boy from the bush can have an opportunity to travel the world and compete against the best tradies in a job I love doing."
Crowds for the event are anticipated to reach upwards of 250,000 to watch the young apprentices and tradespeople compete for gold, silver and bronze medals, and the title of world champion in their skill.
Mr Larkings began his quest at regionals in Macquarie, NSW, and was prepped with the right know-how from studying his skill at TAFE NSW Orange.
To add to the excitement of the competition, the opening and closing ceremonies will be held at the Kazan Arena Stadium, which was also the location of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Competitors and team leaders will stay in the WorldSkills Village (the present-day Universiade Village), a unique residential complex with well-developed infrastructure and capacity for 12,500 people.
Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Geoff Lee said that TAFE NSW graduates are in high demand with employers because of the quality of their education and their ability to hit the ground running with relevant, hands-on skills.
"I wish the entire Skillaroos team good luck, and I look forward to hearing about their achievements.," Mr Lee said.