Coffs Harbour TAFE student wins gold in skills championship Coffs Coast Coffs Coast - popup ad Coffs Coast News by News Of The Area - Modern Media - August 25, 2023 Six TAFE NSW students from the Mid North Coast competed against more than 400 of their peers at the WorldSkills National Championships. Each came home with a medal. Tori McCombe, Bronze, Construction Steel Work, Maclain Coleman-Locke, Bronze, Welding, Coffs Harbour’s Ross Colquhoun, Gold, Automotive Mechanics and Lestatt Hammond-Hurst, Silver, Retail Baking, with Kyle Polidano, Bronze, Electrical Installation and Carlos Bovey Mendez, Silver, Graphic Design Technology. ROSS Colquhoun, who studies Automotive Mechanics at TAFE NSW Coffs Harbour Education Campus, has won a gold medal in the WorldSkills Australia 2023 National Championships. Lestatt Hammond-Hurst, a passionate Retail Baking student at TAFE NSW Coffs Harbour Education Campus, has won a silver medal. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au The championship is Australia’s largest skills competition. It was held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from Thursday 17 to Saturday 19 August. Ross and Lestatt were among six TAFE NSW students from the Mid North Coast competing against more than 400 of their peers at the WorldSkills National Championships. Ross, who won the prestigious gold medal after competing in the Automotive Mechanics category, said, “I walked into the competition not with a winning attitude, but I wanted to learn something no matter what with no real expectations to be on the podium. “So, when my name got called, it was pretty surreal. “Honestly, I’m still trying to process it now,” said Ross. “The most exciting part of the next step for me isn’t the international competition itself, I’m just keen to keep learning, honing my skills and meeting heaps of people from all different mechanical backgrounds. “I couldn’t have even come close to the gold medal without the support network that has enveloped me in the last few months. “My mum and brother came all the way to Melbourne to watch. “(Thanks to) my TAFE NSW mentors Dave Fogarty, Paul Richards, Kirk Trease, and Clint Flower. “My boss Mark and good mate Cooper have taught me so much. “And to Jenny Frost from TAFE NSW, who is the most amazing WorldSkills regional manager in all of Australia,” said Ross. Gold medal winners are eligible for consideration for the Australian Skillaroos team who will compete with the world’s best at the WorldSkills International Competition finals to be held in France in 2024. By Andrea FERRARI
