Silver and Bronze were awarded to Max Hodges (Sydney NSW) and Samuel Shedden (Sydney West NSW), both of whom delivered high-quality work under pressure. The Medallion for Excellence award went to Connor Galeski (MTA NSW).

Additionally, Category Partner, Axalta Coating Systems honoured the late Stuart Aisbett – former Skillaroo, 2007 WorldSkills International Silver medallist and valued team member – with the Stuart Aisbett Award. This year’s recipient was Ronil Naidu of Melbourne.

Created in Aisbett’s memory following his sudden passing in 2020 from Unexplained Cardiac Death, Axalta said the award recognises technical skill throughout the competition and the qualities he embodied – attitude, respect, support and work ethic.

The winners were named after three days of competition at the MTA Queensland facility in South Brisbane, where nine regional finalists confronted a range of real-world practical tasks, from surface preparation and colour matching to clearcoat application and final detailing. Competitors were judged on their technical knowledge, precision and time management.

Paul Polverino, National Training Manager at Axalta, praised the skills of this year’s competitors. “It’s always inspiring to watch young talent in action and this year’s competitors really raised the bar. The standard of work we’ve seen reflects a bright future for the industry. Axalta is incredibly proud to support these apprentices, not just through sponsorship but through a shared passion for skills development and excellence,” he said.

Axalta supplied Standox products for the competition while the company’s technical support team helped competitors with tools and guidance.

Outside the competition area, Axalta hosted the Try’a Skill booth at Skills Show Australia 2025. The hands-on virtual spray-painting simulator gave students, teachers and parents a fun and accessible way to try the trade. The booth drew strong interest across all three days and helped spark curiosity about a career in vehicle painting.