Harrison Field wins gold at WorldSkills Australia 2023 National Championships

TAFE NSW Orange student Harrison Field - who has been working at A.OK Metal Fabrication in the Kelso industrial estate for a year or so - said he was "very nervous" going into the WorldSkills Australia 2023 National Championships in the Victorian capital.

He didn't need to be, though, as he ended up taking the gold medal for welding in front of hundreds of his peers.

He won through to the Melbourne event after competing in the regional section of the competition in Orange at the end of last year.

"My TAFE teacher, Nathan Kelly, helped me out a lot," Mr Field said of his experience in Melbourne.

"He's done it [the competition] previously and he was there as well, as my mentor, so he helped me a lot and talked me through it all."

After a familiarisation on the Wednesday before the national competition began, including testing the welders, Mr Field said he completed a number of projects over the following days that were all assessed to come up with a final score.

TAFE NSW says the gold medal winners are eligible for consideration for the Australian Skillaroos team that will compete at the WorldSkills International Competition finals to be held in France in 2024.

Mr Field said that, if he does end up going to France, there is a chance he will be part of welding competitions in America in the lead-up as part of his training.

A.OK Metal Fabrication director Adam Klower said he was pleased to see Mr Field getting some recognition for the "countless hours of practice that he's been doing".

"Only a handful of us know the hours that he's put in," he said.

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TAFE NSW team leader and WorldSkills Australia Experts Faculty associate member Troy Everett said TAFE NSW students are in high demand because of the quality of their education and ability to hit the ground running in the workplace.

"Our students winning these awards demonstrate what is on offer for students if they choose a TAFE education," he said.