The WorldSkills Australia National Championships, held in Melbourne from August 17-19, showcased the talent of nine regional finalists in the demanding field of Automotive Refinishing. Among the competitors were individuals from various regions, including Lachlan Argent, Dylan Cleaver, Nickolas Abela, Kynan Bonnano, and Neha Singh from New South Wales; Zane Cannon and Dylan Hoskin from Victoria; and Bryson Kingston from Queensland. Their collective aim was to secure a coveted spot as a Skillaroo on Team Australia for the prestigious Biennial WorldSkills International Competition in 2024, slated to take place in Lyon, France.

Over the course of three intense days, these skilled contestants faced a series of challenges, relying on Standox products to demonstrate their expertise. Ultimately, it was Dylan Cleaver of Forbes Smash Repairs in New South Wales' Northern Rivers region who clinched the top spot, earning a Gold medal for his exceptional performance.

Gold Medal - Dylan Cleaver (NSW)

Silver Medal - Dylan Hoskin (VIC),

Bronze Medal - Jake Twyford (VIC)

In a poignant moment during this year's competition, Axalta paid tribute to the memory of Stuart Aisbett, a former WorldSkills Skillaroo and esteemed staff member. The company introduced the inaugural 'Stuart Aisbett Award' to recognise the competitor who demonstrated exceptional qualities such as attitude, respect, support, and work ethic. This distinguished award was presented to Jake Twyford from Central Victoria, who also secured third place with a well-deserved Bronze medal.

Stuart Aisbett was a former Skillaroo, previously earning himself a Silver medal in Vehicle Painting at the International event held in Japan in 2007. Following his success, Stuart joined Axalta and dedicated himself to supporting numerous WorldSkills competitions over the years, consistently displaying an unwavering commitment and an infectious positive attitude. Tragically, Stuart passed away in June 2020 due to Unexplained Cardiac Death.

Paul Polverino, National Training Manager at Axalta said “As a category sponsor for WorldSkills, we are extremely proud of how each competitor excelled during the three-day competition. We have been involved with WorldSkills since 2008, where we were able to help train Stuart Aisbett to compete at the international event, and we are delighted to be supporting Worldskills and their competitions ever since."

About Unexplained Cardiac Death (UCD)

UCD is a sudden and unexpected cardiac arrest in young, healthy people. In many cases, there are no symptoms and there is little information on why it occurs. UCD is one of the biggest killers of Australians aged under 50 – men are five times more likely to be affected than women. It kills more young people than cancer and road accidents. For more information on UCD, visit: End UCD: www.enducd.org