Bathurst’s Harrison Field has walked away with the top award at the World Skills Australian Championships 2023. The local 20-year-old has won World Skills 2023 Champion Welder.
Harrison completed a TAFE course in fabrication and his talent was recognised his teacher and employer A OK metal fabrication who encouraged him to compete in the skills-based competition.
After winning the regional competition that was held in Orange, Harrison travelled to Melbourne to compete in a 15-hour welding challenge where he had to make a functioning pressure vessel that required many different welding techniques to complete. The vessel was stress tested and all welds investigated, ultimately Harrison beat 13 other regional winners from across Australia to take home the championship title and gold medal.
Member for Bathurst Paul Toole met Harrison and his employers to congratulate him on his achievement.
“This is no means feat, Harrison now holds the title of the best welder in Australia,” Mr Toole said.
“It is great to see highly talented and highly skilled tradesmen and women coming out of our very own backyard.”
Up next for Harrison will be a trip to France in the new year to take on the best of the best from across the world.
“I got into welding just because I liked making things, and then when I heard about the competition I thought I would give it a shot.” Mr Field said. “I never thought it would lead to this and I’m just really excited that something I just love doing has led to this opportunity.”
