Yanco Agricultural High School student Jake Turner won a gold medal at the VETS Primary Industries National Worldskills competition in Melbourne at the weekend.

Another YAHS student Lachlan Broad picked up a silver medal and fellow student Cody Grady also represented NSW and the YAHS with pride, narrowly missing out on a medal.

Head Teacher Agriculture at YAHS Luke Collins said this was a fantastic achievement for the students and recognition of the exemplary skills these boys had in tractor operation, chemical application, fencing, livestock husbandry and handling and team work in a number of facets across the Agriculture sector.

Skill competitions are an opportunity for Australia’s trainees and apprentices to test their skills and knowledge in their chosen field against their peers.

Competitors first participate in a regional competition – usually held at a school or training organisation – where they test their skills against others in their region.

Those who perform well at the regional competition spend the next several months training for the National Championships – an exciting, three-day competition where regional winners from all across the country meet up to compete, network and learn.

From there, national medallists may be invited to train for the International Competition, which is run in a different city every two years and sees the very best skills talent from all over the world compete over four days.

Held every two years, the National Championships are the biggest trades and skills competition in the country.

The skills competitions have been running for over 40 years. 

This article appeared in the Narrandera Argus, 24 August 2023.