Chinchilla local to compete at the Nation’s biggest skills show

Chinchilla resident and TAFE Queensland business student, Erin Redgwell, is set to take on Australia’s top young trade talent in the 2025 WorldSkills Australia National Champions in Brisbane from 12 - 14 June 2025.

With over 600 competitors, 300 judges, 200 volunteers and an expected 25,000 visitors, the WorldSkills Australia 2025 National Championships and Skills Show is a three-day celebration of trades, skills, and vocational education and training industry excellence – the largest event of its kind in Australia.

Erin was selected in the WorldSkills Queensland team after being awarded a gold medal at last year’s regional qualifier, and says she is excited to compete against Australia’s best apprentices and hopes to make her family, employer, and TAFE Queensland teachers proud.

"I am incredibly excited about competing in the WorldSkills Australia 2025 National Championships and Skills Show,” said Erin.

“What I look forward to the most is meeting people who share my skillset and seeing how they apply their administrative skills across various industries. Administration is one of the most versatile skillsets someone can have, enabling you to work anywhere from a restaurant to a power station."

After graduating from high school in her regional town, Erin was uncertain about her future. However, she has since discovered a fulfilling career through a business traineeship with a local energy company.

"My journey into the business industry began quite unexpectedly. As a high school student, I had no clear career path in mind. To gain some direction, I decided to explore what I considered the three most fundamental skills that could open doors anywhere: bartending, barista work, and administration,” said Erin.

"My start in administration came through a traineeship where I pursued a Certificate IV in Business (BSB40120) with Kogan Creek Power Station. This experience was invaluable as it allowed me to rotate through various departments, exposing me to a wide range of business functions, and how the skills I learned could be applied in so many different contexts."

More than 100 TAFE Queensland students have been selected to represent Queensland and compete against hundreds of apprentices from across Australia in their trade skill.

TAFE Queensland General Manager (South West Region), Kate Venables, said TAFE Queensland is excited to continue its strong support for WorldSkills Australia, partnering with the Queensland Government to bring the nation’s biggest skills event to Queensland.

"As the largest and most trusted Vocational Education and Training (VET) provider in the state, TAFE Queensland leads the pack in WorldSkills participation and encourages our peers around the state to get involved as well, as broader participation strengthens the competition and lifts the overall calibre of the Queensland team," Ms Venables said.

"In fact, over 80 per cent of the WorldSkills Queensland team is made up of TAFE Queensland competitors and more than half of the competition judges are TAFE Queensland teachers, showcasing our talent and dedication to supporting both our students, employers and industries.”

"The WorldSkills Australia 2025 National Championships and Skills Show underscores our leadership in the training market and our commitment to providing industry-relevant training that transforms lives, industries and communities.”

"This event is about recognising and celebrating excellence in both participant skill development and educator training delivery and everyone at TAFE Queensland takes great pride in the success and excellence of our competitors and colleagues," she said.

Held every two years, the National Championships are Australia’s largest and most successful vocational education excellence event. With 63 skill area competitions on offer, students from all over the country compete in every vocation imaginable – from carpentry to cloud computing.

The top performers in eligible skills may earn a coveted spot in Team Australia (“The Skillaroos”), set to compete at the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai in 2026. This global event will bring together around 1,300 competitors from over 60 countries, making it the largest skills showcase in the world.

This event is proudly supported by the Queensland Government and TAFE Queensland.