LOCAL apprentice Brad Davison has welded, fabricated and machined his way into top spot at the national final of the World Skills competition.
The Australian Technical College student is completing a school based fitter and machinist apprenticeship with John Critcher from Critch Engineering.
The eighteen-year-old is waiting to find out whether or not he will head to Canada for the world finals next year.
Davison will join former Wauchope High School student Nathan Newham who is the best apprentice heavy vehicle mechanic in Australia after taking out the gold medal at the same competition.
It is an enormous effort from both apprentices who had to progress through the regional and state finals before putting their skills to the test in Newcastle and Sydney against the best in Australia.
Davison had to fabricate a four burner barbecue in 18 hours over three days using detailed plans given to each of the students.
The resulting barbecue was judged according to its quality, accuracy to the drawings and the safety of the apprentice’s work.
Davison is understandably pretty chuffed with his achievements.
“I'm so stoked,” he said.
“To be recognised is great and its fun as well which is a bonus.
“It would be so good to go over to Canada for the world final.”
Some of the jobs Davison takes care of include all general metal work including welding, fabrication, repairing metal objects such as boats, tip trucks, trailers and more.
His favourite machine to use is the Computer Numerical Control (CNC) milling machine that takes computer generated designs and builds them.
Davison is the go-to guy at ATC in Port Macquarie when it comes to using the CNC machine which costs over $300,000.
For Newham who is completing his apprenticeship with MTU Detroit Diesel in Sydney the win is extra special because he doesn’t normally work with the things he was tested on.
“I had to study pretty hard to be ready,” he said.
“But my employer and TAFE teachers were really helpful.
WorldSkills is sort of like the Olympics for apprentices so it was great to take the gold.”
Newham is off to Calgary, Canada for the Word finals next year and believes the hard work has paid off.
“It just proves that you shouldn’t stop challenging yourself just because you’re an apprentice.”