Congratulations to TAFE Gippsland apprentice Justin Hibma on bringing home a Silver medal from the WorldSkills Australia Nationals Competition in Melbourne at the weekend.

Justin Hibma

Justin, a fourth year TAFE Gippsland student came second in the Electrical Control category, competing against the nation’s most skilled cohort of electrotechnology apprentices.

Justin said it was a great opportunity to challenge himself, put his skills to the test and increase his capabilities on the job.

“Nationals was a challenging experience with a difficult challenge, high pressure and strong competition,” Justin said.

“It was good to test my skills against others and see where my strengths and weaknesses are. The competition really helped me to improve my own time management and working under pressure.”

TAFE Gippsland WorldSkills Nationals students and staff

Four other TAFE Gippsland students contributed to Team Victoria’s success as overall winners of the competition, showcasing their industry skills and abilities in a public arena.

Program Manager and Victorian Team Leader Paul Clerks said they all did a great job under testing conditions.

“The team should be proud to of their accomplishments representing their state at such a large-scale event," Paul said.

“It was a great experience for them all – really putting their training and skills to the test in a high-pressure environment. We're now looking forward to regionals again next year and encouraging our students to get involved.”