Worldskills Australia supports the excellence of skills in the vocational education sector and champions young talent in developing their skills through training and competitions.
Monarch is proud to be sponsoring Antoinette Jackson to compete on the world stage at the Worldskills International Competition in Lyon, France this September.
The very talented Antoinette has been selected to represent Australia this September in the Painting & Decorating field.
I have been painting since the end of 2020 and I will finish my 4-year apprenticeship in December this year.
I first got involved with Worldskills by accident. A lecturer at MPA Skills, where I do all of my schooling, recommended it to me and said that it would be something I’d be great at. At first, I didn’t want to but I am so grateful that I ended up doing the regional competition.
Antoinette competed in regional and national championships to earn her spot as a Skillaroo. After selection, Antoinette has still had to maintain a hectic training schedule to be prepared for the world stage!
The preparation that goes into each competition, even on the regional level, is a lot more than I think people realise. For regionals it was more casual, a day of training a week prior. Nationals, was again a step up. I gave a few hours a week. But the internationals are huge compared to anything in Australia. For the past year, it has been one of the main priorities. Now I’m giving full weeks to practice competitions, upward of 20 hours of training on top of a full-time workload. It’s definitely not for the faint hearted!
Whilst in Lyon, Antoinette will be competing against representatives from 88 other countries.
Being a Skillaroo is an experience I never thought I’d get. I never thought I would have the opportunity to represent my country in something. The mates I’ve made with other trades and even the connections I’ve made within the Painting and Decorating industry have just put me way ahead of a number of people. I’m really excited to compete in Lyon, and be able to bring back valued information for the next Painting and Decorating competitor.
Once she gets to France, Antoinette is confident in having Monarch tools on hand to help her get the most out of her performance.
From the minute I started my apprenticeship, the first brush I had in my hand was a Monarch and every day now I still have a Monarch in hand. In my opinion, they are the best brushes on the market - they are hands down my go to brush. I love the quality of all of the Monarch equipment, as we all know how rough things get treated on site sometimes!
Join us in supporting Antoinette on the road to France!