Visual Connections, ASGA & TAFE Queensland Collaborate on New Talent Initiatives

The WorldSkills Australia 2025 National Championships & Skills Show was held in Brisbane in June, and once again featured sign and graphics apprentices, sponsored by Visual Connections, as well as Try-A-Trade activities run in partnership with the Australian Sign & Graphics Association and TAFE Queensland. The event dovetailed with the co-located Brisbane Careers & Employment Expo, where the Sign & Print Career Connections team promoted industry careers to students.

Karren Challoner-Miles (Visual Connections), Paul Richards (TAFE Queensland), Tina Mavris & John Watters (AusSIP)

 The supplier association has this year continued its longstanding support for WorldSkills by funding travel and accommodation costs for the sign and graphics students, and their teachers, to participate in the National Championships & Skills Show which ran from 12-14 June at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. 

Visual Connections also cast the new talent net more widely at the Careers Expo, with a range of on-stand activities run by industry volunteers, designed to engage visitors and create the opportunity for conversations around the potential career opportunities in the print, sign and graphics sector.

WorldSkills is a competition which was established in 1981 to promote excellence in skills-based trades. The Australian competition sees the very best apprentices from around the country compete over three days with others from the same industry group, to determine the ‘best of the best’. The national program of regional and State skills competitions culminate this week as competitors vie for national honours.

Karren Challoner-Miles, Executive General Manager of Visual Connections, said the skills competitions provided an important opportunity for Australia’s trainees and apprentices to test their skills and knowledge in their chosen field against their peers. 

“We were excited onWe’re excited to once again be partnering with WorldSkills Australia on the delivery of the 2025 competition, which aligns very closely with our values and an association and our commitment to supporting young people to take up careers in industry trades,” she said.

“It’s always exciting to meet the finalists in the sign and graphics category from around the country, and to see them demonstrate their skills as part of the Skills Show at the National Championships.” Visual Connections also collaborated with ASGA and TAFE Queensland on the ‘Try-A-Skill’ activities for the Skills Show, which are so important to build engagement with young people, and promote careers in the print, sign and graphics sector.

Visitors were able to try their hand at car wrapping on one of the latest model electric vehicles from BYD Automotive, under the guidance of the TAFE team, and gain some valuable insights into the exciting range of careers in the sign and graphics sector.

“Every two years, the WorldSkills National Championships & Skills Show attracts school groups and senior students to explore trade careers,” Karren explains.

“The Skills Show is a great opportunity for students to not only see demonstrations from some of the very best apprentices from around the country, but also to try their hand at typical industry tasks. This year, it’s great to see the co-location with the Careers Expo, which provides visitors with the chance to find out more about industry careers and training opportunities at our Sign & Print Career Connections stand

“It’s great to be involved in inspiring young people to explore career opportunities in the sign and graphics sector, and we are grateful to our partners at ASGA and TAFE Queensland, and to all those who volunteered on the Sign & Print Career Connections stand, for sharing their expertise in this way.” 

The Sign & Print Career Connections initiative is supported by major sponsors Graphic Art Mart, Orafol, Pozitive and Signarama, and partnering sponsors Bottcher Australia, Hero Print, MacDermid Graphics Solutions and Spicers. 

The Sign & Print Career Connections Stand was busy as always, with plenty of interest from students.