An Armadale Senior High School student will be recognised for his success at a regional automotive competition despite entering with less than half the preparation of many of his rivals.
In August, 16-year-old student Dylan Hunt competed in the Perth WorldSkills VET in Schools Regional Competition in the automotive category, where he finished second out of a small group of students from schools across Perth.
As part of the event Dylan had to perform duties including checking cooling and electrical systems, performing basic car maintenance, and repairing and replacing parts.
Dylan had to progress through a series of workstations with cars and components and complete a review of the vehicle, complete a checklist and report any faults to a supervisor.
WorldSkills Australia hosts events across the country to promote vocational education, training, trades and apprenticeships and test students on topics including construction, creative art, IT, engineering and transport and logistics.
While Dylan found out about the competition a month before it was due to be held, he said many competitors he spoke to had practiced for an entire term.
“I didn’t have much time to prepare for it,” he said.
“I had just four weeks notice.”
However, he said growing up and learning to get hands-on with machines had given him the confidence he needed to chase the top prize.
“I’ve always been good with my hands and I’ve got a bit of a mechanical background so I put two and two together,” he said.
“I like making stuff run perfectly, making things work – I like the thought process that goes into it.”
Even though he did not win he said his desire to do a good job extended beyond competition, and he would keep learning by practicing on motorbikes at home.
“I’m working on them myself – I just did a rebuild the other day,” he said.
“It’s a thrill.”
Dylan said at school he will get to learn more about how to service a car and has been taught about how engines work as part of his classes, which helped him prepare for the WorldSkills VET in Schools Regional Competition.
He is studying Certificate II in Automotive Vocational Preparation and another in Engineering Pathways and said he wanted to develop his skills after he finished school to eventually work on mining projects in northern Western Australia.
“I should be going to TAFE and studying heavy diesel mechanics,” he said.
“Hopefully I’ll get a heavy diesel mechanic apprenticeship and go offshore.”
