A BENDIGO plumber is ready to take on the world's best in Russia after a year of training.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Phoenix Pluming's Patrick Keating leaves Australia tomorrow for WorldSkills 2019, a global competition attracting talented young apprentices and trainees.
"There's been quite a lot involved. I've been driving up to Albury and training for two days every month with my coach. We go over past competitions," Mr Keating said.
"My workplace has set up a work station in a shed, so I have a wall I can train in after work and on weekends."
Story continues below vision of a past WorldSkills international event.
WorldSkills 2019 will attract more than 1300 young competitors to Kazan next week, battling for gold in one of 56 skills including joinery, floristry, hairdressing, electronics, mechanics and baking.
Mr Keating is part of a 15-strong Australian "Skilleroos" contingent and will take on tradies from 29 other nations including the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Brasil and South Africa.
He will not know what project he will need to complete until the competition begins, but expects he will need to bend and install copper pipes to exacting specifications.
"So it will be pretty tight. There is no margin for error," Mr Keating said.
"I'm definitely going over there to win gold, that's for sure. But realistically, I'm just going to try my best, knowing how hard I've tried to prepare."
Mr Keating began his journey to Russia last year when he won a WorldSkills heat among former classmates at Bendigo TAFE.
From there, he topped a national competition in Sydney to earn his spot in Kazan.
Mr Keating was recognised as the region's best up-and-coming tradesperson at Bendigo TAFE's apprentice of the year awards earlier this year.
WorldSkills Kazan 2019 takes place from 22 to 27 August.
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.