Mark Vender
Perth-based refrigeration and air conditioning technician Tom Clancy has been selected to represent Australia at the 46th Worldskills International Competition in Shanghai in October 2022.
Selected for the Australian Skills Squad after an impressive performance at both regional and national competitions, Clancy is aiming for a top 10 spot at the international event, due to be held in Shanghai this October. He is now in training, with an emphasis on time management and attention to detail. Next, he says he plans to focus on “the little details” and being the very best he can be in the lead-up to Shanghai.
Clancy has described the opportunity to represent Australia on the international stage as an honour.
Even before being selected in the Skills Squad, Clancy was making a name for himself in the industry. Completing his qualification with South Metropolitan TAFE in Carlisle, he participated in the Kirby Scholarship Program and was named one of Australia’s top 20 refrigeration and air conditioning technicians under 25 at the 2020 NextGen Awards.
A major advantage for the young fridgie will be the backing of expert Carl Balke, who helped 2019 Skillaroo Patrick Brennan win bronze at the 45th WorldSkills International. Balke has given almost two decades of his spare time to WorldSkills, helping run competitions at a regional and national level as well as mentoring countless students – all in addition to his work as a lecturer at TAFE Queensland in Brisbane.
“He has been unfailingly generous with his support,” says WorldSkills Australia, “helping [students] discover how they can push themselves to be their best and reach goals that were previously unimaginable.”
WorldSkills Australia is a social enterprise that promotes skills as the future of young people, and of Australia. Its skills-based competitions operate at regional, national and international levels, and are aligned to national training packages, Apprenticeships Australia and Jobs Australia schemes. The WorldSkills National Championship is Australia’s biggest vocational education and excellence competition.
For more information, go to worldskills.org.au
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