Australians starting trade apprenticeships have dropped by almost 20% since last year. WorldSkills Australia aims to promote trade careers by giving young Aussies opportunities to learn and showcase trade related skills at the largest trade showcase and competition in Australia. Joe Young reports.

In early October 500 young apprentices, trainees and students across many trades and professions will descend on Melbourne Showgrounds, each ready to hone and prove their skills in front of over 40,000 spectators at the 2016 WorldSkills Australia national competition.

Among those spectators will be school children considering their future career options who will be given the opportunity to learn more about trades such as plumbing from experienced industry professionals ready to share their knowledge.

To get an idea of the scale of the competition there will be 300 judges, 100 volunteers and $10 million worth of material including eight tonnes of steel, 10km of cabling, 80 mannequin heads, 600kg of flour and over 3000 flower stems.

But organisers remind us that it isn’t just a competition as visitors will have the opportunity to try their hand at over 50 trade and skill-based professions such as vehicle painting, bricklaying, hairdressing, programming, cookery and wielding with the Try’a Skill program.

18 plumbing apprentices, trainees and students qualified to partake in this years’ national competition by winning events such as a crimping speed test that saw contestants crimping a copper pipe into a specific shape. Competitions were held in regional towns all around the country.

At the national competition contestants will partake in challenges such as the fabrication of a simulated basic bathroom and laundry fit out, including hot, cold and rain water, gas, solar hot water and waste services.

Alternatively they may have to install and commission a hot water system, shower, laundry tub, bayonet fitting and rainwater tank although specifics of the test will be confidential until the competition day.

Here are four young Aussie plumbers that will compete in this year’s competition.

Brandon Muldoon, Melbourne Australia
21 year old Brandon Muldoon has been interested in plumbing since high school and admits it has lived up to his expectations.

“Because we focus on the maintenance side of plumbing, every single day is different,” Brandon says.

“I also like the problem solving that goes hand in hand with the maintenance work.”

After studying at RMIT he is now employed by Mitchell Shire Plumbing with plans to own his own business and says the license within the plumbing trade gives him a sense of comfort.

“Plumbing will always be needed, as long as humans need water and clean waste disposal plumbers like me will be there.”

Brandon is adaptable to the changes in the future of the plumbing industry and is looking forward to seeing where the industry is heading.

“New products and materials change the effect on the environment, time efficiency, availability and costs, just to name a few,so it’ll be exciting in the years to come to see how the trade will adapt to this.”

Luke Brown, Osborne Park WA
During high school Luke Brown loved to see things being built so he knew he wanted to work in the construction industry. After a year working as a building supervisor he decided to get a plumbing qualification from MPA Skills.

Now at 22 he works at MI Plumbing where he mainly works in the commercial plumbing sector.

“There is such scope in commercial plumbing and the scale of it can be exciting. My dream would be in five years’ time to be running my own commercial plumbing business.”

The favourite part of the job for Luke is seeing a happy client during a hand-over.

“It is a great feeling to see the work come together and you can start looking forward to the next job.”

Luke describes the opportunities in the industry as “endless”.

“There is so much change in the industry all the time, new products and systems coming on the market that use water more efficiently, smart water systems, even advances in water treatment.

“The industry is constantly developing and changing and you are learning new things all the time. That is what makes it an exciting industry to work in; there are always opportunities to learn.”

Michael Yarrow, Brisbane QLD
Inspired by his father who was a plumber Michael Yarrow decided to try plumbing on work experience in high school and found that he absolutely loved it.
He got his training at SkillsTech in Queensland and at 20 is working at the family business, Yarrow Plumbing services.

His current role in the business is to be a maintenance plumber which Michael loves the problem solving aspect of the job.

Committed to the family business he hopes to one day become a supervisor.

He also believes there are big opportunities facing members of the plumbing industry.

“It’s important to educate the general public and government on the importance of the plumbing industry to the health and wellbeing of the community,” Michael says.

Winners of the events at the national competition will go on to represent Australia as a Skillaroo at the World championship. We wish the boys and the 14 other representatives all the best and will report the results in the summer edition of 2016.