VCV Pinkenba technician takes WorldSkills bronze after international training push

Queensland heavy vehicle technician Lachlan Wright has won bronze in Heavy Vehicle Technology at the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai, capping more than a year of intensive training and international preparation.

Wright, a heavy diesel technician with Volvo Commercial Vehicles Australia at VCV Pinkenba, represented Australia as a Skillaroo and finished third with 733 points. Switzerland’s Sandro Amrhein won gold with 745 points, while China’s Le Zhou took silver on 742 — leaving just 12 points between first and third.

VCV said Wright had taken every training opportunity available in the lead-up to Shanghai, from in-house work with teammates to specialised preparation in Canberra and China. His international expert and training manager, Raman Badekar, said the preparation had included intense training, competition strategy and international practice events over more than a year.

Wright’s pathway to the international podium followed a gold medal at regional level and silver in Heavy Vehicle Technology at the 2025 WorldSkills Australia National Championships.

His trade training has included TAFE Queensland SkillsTech, where local trainer and mentor James Hall was among those supporting his development. Wright has also credited his employer, experienced tradespeople and his family for helping him progress through the competition cycle.

“I chose to pursue Heavy Vehicle Mechanics because of the variety and different challenges faced on a day-to-day basis,” Wright said.

Preparing for the broad range of tasks used in WorldSkills required him to build processes for diagnosing and completing unfamiliar work under pressure.

Wright said preparing for unfamiliar equipment meant working alongside experienced technicians, asking questions and developing a method for tackling each task. He said the experience had strengthened his organisation and adaptability, and encouraged him to take opportunities as they arose.

Looking beyond the Shanghai podium, Wright plans to continue developing as a mechanic while studying further as an auto electrician, and says he would also like to encourage more young people into the trades.

WorldSkills International’s official Heavy Vehicle Technology results confirm the medal placings and scores. The Australian Government’s 14 October recognition report also confirms Wright’s bronze medal.