The Automotive Techology competition this year will be a very strong competition with competitors from Northland, Auckland, Waikato/BoP, Central North Island, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago, Southland and the Defence Forces. WorldSkills NZ has invited competitors from Australia and Mexico to use this as a training exercise and to give our competitions an international feel. All up there will be 14 competitors at the National Finals. The newly established MTA Apprentice Challenge, which started in 2007, has had a significant impact on the Automotive Technology competition, with the winners of the Challenge being encouraged to enter the WorldSkills NZ Regional competitions.

At this point in time, WorldSkills NZ does not run Automotive Refinishing and Autobody Repair competitions in all regions because of difficulties in accessing the necessary specialist equipment. Not all the regional competitions for these two categories have been run as this goes to print, but there should be at least 4 competitors from each category at the National Finals which will provide an excellent competition.

The slogan for WorldSkills NZ this year is "See How Far You Can Go". Those young people who entered the regional competitions set themselves on a course which could culminate in their becoming the best in the world in their trade. The National Finals is the next step in a journey which could culminate in their winning the WorldSkills International competition in Calgary, Canada in 2009 with over 60 countries involved.

The New Zealand Tool Blacks, as the international team is called, need more than a high level of practical competency. They need to be of the right age (under 22), they need to demonstrate the competitive edge that will enable them to cope with a very intense 4 day competition, they need a supportive employer and they need no barriers to leaving the country. They also need to raise the money to get themselves to the competition. Winning the National Finals is not an automatic passport to the international competition, but it certainly is a major factor.

The National Finals is an exceptional opportunity to see some of New Zealand’s most skilled young people in action. WelTec are inviting all Greater Wellington Region schools to visit this event which is an excellent opportunity for school students to see approximately 100 competitors from all around New Zealand competing in 19 skill categories. The venue is the Wellington Institute of Technology, Petone, Lower Hutt. The competiton is open to the public from 9am – 4pm on Thursday 18 September and Friday 19 September, and from 9am – 3pm on Saturday 20 September. Entry is free.