TAFE student secures gold in national championships
Perth student Lachlan Gelavis has nailed a career in cyber security after he won the gold medal at the Cyber Security WorldSkills Australia Championships this year.
The cyber security competition showcases a diverse range of technology skills related to reducing risk and protecting against the unauthorised exploitation of systems, networks and technologies.
Lachlan studies for his advanced diploma in cyber security at North Metropolitan TAFE Joondalup, WA, whilst working part-time as an operations team member at Bunnings Warehouse. He’s now swapped power tools for tech tools and has begun a cyber security internship at the DIY giant.
He won the competition with teammate Kai Baharthah-King. “It was an incredible opportunity to be part of this competition and to represent WA with my teammate Kai,” said Lachlan.
“I'm passionate about cyber security because it's always changing. I want to stay ahead of cybercriminals and protect the data of companies and individuals.
"Apart from winning the medal, the most memorable part of the competition was meeting people from different trades and making friends,” he said.
It’s been a long road to gold for Lachlan. The competition begins at a grassroots level in one of 35 Australian regions. Regional Competitions tests the skills and knowledge of 4000+ apprentices, trainees and students. Only the best go on to compete at a national level.
Next up is the opportunity to represent Australia as a Skillaroo in the International WorldSkills competition being held next September in Lyon, France.
Lachlan offers great advice for students considering a career in cyber security. He says engage in cyber security events and functions to expand your professional network. He was a volunteer at CyberWest Summit 2023, helping to organise exhibitors, keynote speakers and attendees.
“Creating mini projects at home that you can add to your resume is another excellent way to showcase your skills. Doing extra work using online resources can help you enhance your cybersecurity skills continuously, as cyber learning never stops,” he added.
About WorldSkills Australia
WorldSkills Australia is a social enterprise that passionately believes skills drive the future of young people, and of Australia. Its purpose is to identify, demonstrate, promote the excellence of Australia’s skills development and are the only Australian skills organisation that can bring global benchmarking across a large number of skills back to Australia. They achieve this by engaging in research, promoting skills, building careers, focusing on education and skills training in Australia, fostering international cooperation and development, and running skills competitions and leadership programs.
