Dannevirke: Welder going for world gold

Dannevirke's Stacy Smyth leaves today for the WorldSkills event in Sao Paulo as part of the New Zealand Tool Blacks. Stacy is an apprentice at RCR Energy and was at the careers expo in The Hub on Tuesday night. Photo / Christine McKay

Dannevirke welding apprentice Stacy Smyth leaves today for Brazil as part of the New Zealand Tool Blacks team who will put their trade skills to the test against 1300 other under 24-year-olds from around the world.

Stacy, who works at Dannevirke's RCR Energy, told the Dannevirke News he was looking forward to the challenge.

"There's no point going to an event like this and doubting yourself," he said.

"I'm not too worried about it, it's just another day at work."

A member of New Zealand's 15-strong team, Stacy will represent the country in welding, with the rest of the team participating in 14 of the more than 45 trade skills to be contested at the event in Sao Paulo.

The Tool Blacks had three rounds of competition to help them prepare, having to win the regional competition, the 2014 nationals and then taking part in the Oceania competition in April this year to secure their places.

On Tuesday, Stacy was encouraging others to follow his footsteps into an apprenticeship at the RCR Energy stand at the careers expo at The Hub.

Behind his Tool Blacks talents have been 1000 hours of preparation with long hours of training.

Stacy's skills manager, Brian Simpson and his foreman Craig Monaghan put together a training plan, covering all he needs to know to succeed at the WorldSkills event. Monaghan competed in the WorldSkills international competition in 2007.

"Thirty per cent of the contest is the unknown, but the rest is based on experience and although I'm pretty nervous, I'm really looking forward to it," Stacy said, admitting he wants to come home from WorldSkills with a gold medal. "I've been sacrificing everything to make sure I win in Brazil."