Expert mentors back Skillaroos

By Kate Southam

As the best of Australia’s young apprentices compete at the skills Olympics in London this week, a team of expert coaches including Jarrad Langdon will be standing behind them.

Jarrad, 25, won Gold for Australia in the web design category as part of the Skillaroos team that competed in Helsinki in 2005.

He says the experience was invaluable to his confidence and career, which includes lecturing at TAFE and running his own business Jala Design with clients both here and overseas.

For the past year, Jarrad has been coaching web design competitor Blake Cannell of Sydney and in addition to passing on his technical knowledge, Jarrad knows exactly what Blake will face in London with the pressure, huge crowds and grueling schedule.

Jarrad was attending Hornsby TAFE in Sydney’s northern suburbs when he heard about World Skills Australia. He took part and won in regional competitions securing a spot in the 2004 national titles in Brisbane where he continued his winning performance to secure a spot in the Skillaroos.

He credits his own expert trainer Newcastle-based David Somerville for helping him get into Gold medal winning shape for the Helsinki meet.

“He became my second dad. We trained intensely and I learnt a lot from him about how to compete. He is an amazing man and a great mentor.

“I was the youngest competitor [in the 2005 Skillaroos team] and I fairly nervous as it was my first big trip away from my parents but I just buckled down and put my training to work.”

“It is a four-day competition and a lot is happening when you are competing. Someone was filming me from a metre away and there are big crowds all around and moving past you.

“You have to focus on your work because you know one little mistake could set you back – half a mark could be the difference between first and fifth.

Jarrad has put his experience into his coaching for Blake who he describes as talented and dedicated.

“He is fairly nervous but he has worked hard. He was living at Penrith with his parents when he went through the regional competition. Through World Skills he has secured a good job and has been living at Pyrmont.

“Competing requires short term sacrifice. I didn’t see my friends but just locked myself away for six months of training before I competed internationally.

“At the end of four days of competition you are mentally drained. There is such a long build up to the event and then the big climax.

Jarrad says the World Skills experience doesn’t have to end after the international competition ceremony comes to a close.

He says competitors “get out of World Skills what [they] put into it” and for him that has meant a flourishing business, a part time role lecturing at his old college, Hornsby TAFE and a role coaching Skillaroos.    

Jarrad was a volunteer with the Skillaroos team that competed in Japan in 2007 and an Expert (coach) to Daniel Jones in the lead up to his bronze medal win in the 2009 Calagry World Skills International.

“I think I was happier and prouder when Daniel got his medal. I felt an even greater sense of achievement although there is still a great deal of pressure that goes with the role of Expert.

“The networking has been invaluable to setting up my business. About 50 per cent to 60 per cent of my clients came through the World Skills community.”

Australia currently holds the 5th world ranking. The Skillaroos will compete inside the  London ExCeL between October 5 to October 8 against teams from more than 50 countries.

World skills Australia has been operating since 1981 producing more than 70,000 competitors through its regional and national competitions.
 
Australia won two gold medals, five silver and five bronze medals at the WorldSkills International Calgary in 2009; one gold, three silver and one bronze at the Shizuoka event in 2007 and give gold and two bronze at the Helsinki event in 2005.

Meet the full team of experts:

Brent Butler, Canberra, Manufacturing Team Challenge;
Caroline Hawkins, Sydney,  IT software solutions for business;
Paul Condron,  Illawarra, Welding;
Ron Simeon, Western Australia, Wall and floor tiling;
 Tom Vukelic, Sydney,  Autobody repair;
Grant Stewart, Illawarra, Plumbing and heating;
Jarrad Langdon, Sydney, web design;                                                             
John Rudge, Macquarie, Electrical installations;
Andrew Arthur, Brisbane, Industrial control;
Troy Everett, Illawarra, Bricklaying;
Ian Vickery, Hunter, Painting and decorating;
Jason Hindes, Adelaide, Cabinetmaking;
Darren May, Sydney, Jewellery;
Alan Randell-Smith, Melbourne, Floristry;
Donna De Maria, Mid Coast, Hairdressing;
Sue Collins, North Queensland, Beauty therapy;
Donna Drain,  Illawarra,  Fashion technology;
Grant Petch, Automobile technology,  Ballarat/Wimmera;
Brigitte Collins,  Sydney,  Restaurant service;
Brian Johnson,   Hunter,  Car painting;
Ben Meade,   Melbourne,  Landscape gardening;
Chris Macdonald,  Sydney,  Refrigeration & air conditioning;
Sarah Jones,   Melbourne, Graphic design technology;
John Sharples,   Illawarra,  Construction metal work; and
Brian Coleman,  Brisbane,  Sheet metal technology.

CareerOne.com.au