Weinan nails the TAFESkills Competition for Carpentry!

Whilst completing his high school studies in Carpentry back home, Weinan's international educational journey was supported by a scholarship from the West Papua government, which chose TAFE Queensland as the best education provider for further study in the field.

Speaking about his passion for the industry, Weinan shared, “My background is in building construction when I studied it in high school. I also often make crafts and furniture in my free time, so I am very interested in carpentry and am passionate to improve my skills.”

Weinan's dedication and commitment to his craft shone through when he entered the TAFESkills competition, submitting a captivating photograph of his carpentry masterpiece.

TAFESkills is an online social media competition where TAFE Queensland challenges current students to capture their experience and unleash their creativity, by showing what they’ve made, learnt, grown, designed and created all whilst studying with TAFE Queensland.

As one of the standout entrants, Weinan proudly represented the breadth of skills he has acquired whilst studying his Certificate III in Carpentry (CPC30211) course.

With excitement in his voice, he reflected, "Winning the competition is a huge honour and an incredible validation of my skills. It feels surreal to see my hard work recognised and appreciated in the competition."

When reflecting on his journey of becoming an international student in Queensland, Australia, Weinan explains how he has adapted to the cultural and climate differences between West Papua and Brisbane “Living in Brisbane is different than back home, in West Papua we have two seasons; wet and dry, where here in Brisbane there are four seasons to get used to” he continues “I have a community in the church here which is a good step for me to make new friends and an opportunity to know about the Australian culture”.

Describing his experience at TAFE Queensland, Weinan added, "What I learn at TAFE Queensland is beyond my expectations. The teachers are really amazing and teach us how to apply our skills as if we were working in the real-world. They help us if we don't understand something and spend time with us until we get it right. This will benefit us hugely when we go out to get our future jobs".

With his eyes set on a bright future, Weinan envisions a successful career in Australia, stating "When I have finished my studies at TAFE Queensland, I want to take a holiday for a few days and then find a job that aligns with my skills here in Australia. I aim to gain experience and, eventually, return to West Papua to run my own construction or furniture business."