WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 was a significant experience for me, both professionally and personally. As my tenure as International Chief Expert for Graphic Design now comes to an end, it has been a genuine pleasure to lead and work alongside passionate Graphic Design experts from around the world. It has also been a proud moment to mentor and support Skillaroo Emilie Flavel as she represented Team Australia on the international stage, supported by her dedicated parents and extended family.
Emilie’s journey began with her Gold Medal at the 2025 WorldSkills Australia National Championships in Brisbane. A strong, capable graduate of TAFE SA, she progressed to Shanghai to compete against 28 other young designers following three major training opportunities: a virtual friendly competition with the UAE; Global Skills, hosted by TAFE NSW in Wollongong; and an intensive Shenzhen training experience alongside Chinese competitor Meiting Du.
It was a welcome return to a classic international training build-up, supported by an improved preparation plan that incorporated multiple past Test Projects, the classic 30-Day Logo Challenge, and a test pilot of the 2026 Australian regional Test Project (@drivergames.com.au). Emilie demonstrated significant professional growth throughout the process, improving her speed at each milestone while developing greater confidence and broader international perspectives.
For me, Shanghai also provided an extraordinary opportunity to benchmark Australian Graphic Design training against 29 different international education and industry systems. As my role as Chief Expert concludes (and we welcome Cody Peterson, Graphic Communications Instructor at Saskatchewan Polytechnic (Canada) to the position), I am pleased to report that Skill 40 is in great shape. Competitor numbers are holding, forum communication is concise and informative, and Test Project interpretation and development are clear. I was particularly impressed by the professional judgement demonstrated by the experts in Shanghai and the robust discussions about the future direction of the skill. Those conversations consistently returned to the same issues affecting Graphic Design in Western Australia: AI, digital publishing, motion graphics, interactive media, accessibility, sustainability of career choice, and the changing (but symbiotic) relationship between print and digital design.
Running quietly alongside these conversations was a constant consideration of how to transport this insight and knowledge back to North Metropolitan TAFE. How we can continue to keep TAFE WA at the cutting edge? Encouragingly, there was strong alignment between the international discussions and recent local industry engagement in Perth. There is clear support for authentic client-based projects, broader cross-media capability, greater emphasis on conceptual thinking and the responsible use of AI, while retaining the technical and creative foundations of Graphic Design.
The most rewarding part of the experience, however, was seeing Emilie transition from a talented TAFE trained student and national competitor to someone who has now experienced what it means to work at an international level. She represented Team Australia with commitment and professionalism and returns home with a desire to support the next generation of competitors at the 2027 Nationals in Adelaide.
I am very grateful to everyone who contributed to that journey, particularly Indy Griffiths, Annabel Haizer, Nellie Holder and Lyn Mitchell, whose experience, encouragement and knowledge have helped build a strong support network around Australian Graphic Design competitors.
WorldSkills ultimately gave me two perspectives at once: the responsibility of supporting one young Australian designer, and the privilege of working with a global community of educators and industry practitioners considering the same fundamental question — “how do we prepare the next generation of Graphic Designers for a profession that is changing faster than ever”?
Learn more about Emilie the Skillaroo
