Wellington's Harrison Blatch is preparing to go head-to-head with the best engineering mechanics from around the country at the WorldSkills Australia National Championships.
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The 22-year-old, who completed his apprenticeship in Dubbo at BJ Engineering last year, will travel to Perth in late August of next year to compete for gold and the chance to represent the country at the international competition being held in Shanghai.
"It's a bit of a brag at the dinner table," Mr Blatch laughed.
"I'm actually a little nervous - we'll see if I can keep up with the best in Australia.
"It's nice to know your hard work is paying off and I'm excited to compete.
"I'm just going to have to practice a lot."
Mr Blatch will undertake a series of practical tasks based on a set of engineer's drawings in a specified time.
He will need to demonstrate the use of traditional hand tools as well as computerised industrial machining equipment and showcase his skills.
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