FOURTEEN young New Zealanders don the national black colour and silver fern on foreign soil today, pitting their talents against skilled people from many different countries. But they’re not into a sporting contest.
Each Tool Black is 22 or younger and is travelling with a mentor.
Competitors are given projects by organisers, testing their ability in sectors such as auto technology, printing, welding, cooking, restaurant service, cabinetmaking, joinery, car painting, panelbeating, polymechanics, sheet metal technology, bricklaying, electric installation and industrial control wiring.
Mr Thomassen and Mr Wintle gained selection to the Tool Blacks after qualifying through the regional and national SkillsEX finals, which attracted 350 and 120 competitors respectively.
Before departing for Japan they told the Times the road to qualifying for the world final has been long and challenging. Most of the contestants who’ve made the New Zealand team have spent up to four years preparing.
The organisers say 900 young trades people from about 40 WorldSkills member countries are in Shizuoka.
The aim of the vocational-based tournament is to raise the standards of trade skills and training worldwide. The first WorldSkills was held in Madrid in 1950.
Two years ago it finished 19th of 45 countries.
Each Tool Blacks member had to raise $10,000, the cost of getting to Shizuoka – money coming from themselves, employers, families and sponsors.
Mr Thomassen, who’s competing in the industrial control (electrical wiring) category at Shizuoka, has been in the trade five years and is employed at MB-Electrical in Clevedon. He’s also training for a diploma in electrical engineering at Manukau Institute of Technology.
Woodworker Mr Wintle is a joiner of nearly six years and plies his trade at Papakura Joinery.
“We all have talent. Find yours, set a goal and great things will happen,” Mr Wintle told the Times last weekend.
Meanwhile, former WorldSkills NZ chief executive of 20 years Albie Lund of Howick was presented with an honorary membership of WorldSkills by Sir John Ingram last Saturday at a ceremony at Eden Park. Mr Lund retired earlier this year.
