Super skills on show

By Callan Date
MOVE over Socceroos – the Skillaroos are about to make their mark on the world stage.
And Hampton Park has its very own representative.
Samuel Pop will be one of the 27 people from throughout Australia who will compete at the WorldSkills International Competition in Japan in November.
Mr Pop, 23, recently finished a fitter and machinist apprenticeship at manufacturing company Robert Bosch and has already started training the next generation of apprentices at his work place.
“I didn’t realise it at the time, but while I was completing my apprenticeship Robert Bosch had a plan for me.
“They were sending me on teacher training courses and I have my qualifications to train and teach at TAFE,” Mr Pop said.
According to Mr Pop’s colleagues, his skills in manufacturing are complemented by his teaching ability, enabling him to train and pass on his leanings to other apprentices.
Those skills were highlighted when Mr Pop was selected to compete with the Skillaroos against the best in the world at the upcoming WorldSkills competition.
The WorldSkills International Competition is a large-scale global ‘Skill Olympics’ that will host more than 850 competitors from 48 competing countries.
The Australian team will represent 24 categories including bricklaying, landscape gardening, beauty therapy, web design and welding.
Mr Pop will compete in the manufacturing challenge.
“Being able to train others at such a young age and young level, has been a huge achievement for me,” he said.
“However, WorldSkills has been the biggest achievement and I am happy to have reached an international level of recognition.”
The father of two said he was lucky to have found a trade he loved straight away which has been a key to his success.
“It’s easy to succeed at something when you truly love what you are doing,” Mr Pop said. “A key driver for me was getting up in the morning and enjoying what I was doing. I loved every day, and that was what kept me going.”
But Mr Pop’s thirst for knowledge hasn’t been quenched and he has returned to the classroom to continue his studies for an Advanced Diploma in Engineering.
“I feel I have already won, and anything that happens in Japan is just a bonus,” he said.