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13 February 2007
Lance Corporal Josh Comerford and Sapper Luke Boustridge will pit their trade skills against the best in the world when they head to the WorldSkills competition in Shizouka, Japan in November.
LCPL Comerford, a steward based at Trentham Military Camp, will represent New Zealand in the “Restaurant Service” category. SPR Boustridge, an electrician based at Linton Military Camp, will represent New Zealand in “Electrical Wiring”.
Accompanying them will be WO2 Paul Lomas, of 2 Engineer Regiment, who was recently selected to be the WorldSkills Deputy Chief Judge of Welding.
LCPL Comerford and SPR Boustridge join 10 other Kiwi competitors from a variety of trade categories and regions. The team – dubbed the “Tool Blacks” – was selected from the winners of the SkillEX Nationals, which were held in Wellington in September 2006.
SPR Boustridge, who was placed first equal at the nationals, also faced one further hurdle. At a mid-January play-off in Auckland, against the other gold electrical wiring winner, SPR Boustridge successfully proved he was the best young electrician in New Zealand and worthy of a place on the Kiwi WorldSkills team.
SkillEX is a trade skill competition for apprentices under 23 years old. Competitors complete a project within a set time, and are judged on the quality of their workmanship, and work skills such as job planning and problem solving.
SkillEX celebrated its 20-year birthday in November. NZDF has been a “region” within SkillEX since 1989, meaning that competitors compete first at NZDF (regional) level, then the winners go on to national level.
At an awards dinner celebrating the 20-year anniversary of SkillEX in New Zealand, the organisation presented the New Zealand Defence Force with a plaque for 20 years’ support.
The organisation said the plaque acknowledges “the tremendous support they continue to give the SkillEX competitions, and the dedication they have to the training of their young people”.
The award was accepted by NZDF SkillEX coordinator Dana Arcus and SkillEX judge WO2 Paul Lomas, who have both been involved with the competition since 1999.
SkillEX marketing coordinator, Sally Tai-Rakena, praised Mrs Arcus’s commitment and support to the competition.
This page was last reviewed on 16 February 2007 and is current.
