Jemma Bond - Automotive refinisher - Whangarei, New Zealand

Winning a gold medal at the WorldSkills New Zealand National Finals in September 2008, Jemma meets the criteria and high performance standards required to participate in a WorldSkills Competition.

Proud that she is a successful woman in a male dominated industry, she is an example to other young women, spreading the message that they too can succeed. She says, “One small step for man – one giant leap for a woman!”

Jemma has been working at Rowsells Collision Repair in Whangarei for 3 ½ years and completed her National Certificate in Automotive Refinishing in March 2008. She was registered with the New Zealand Motor Industry Training Organization (Inc) for her training and attended NorthTec for off-job training.

Before starting her career as a Car Painter, Jemma completed a Visual Arts course at NorthTec and her artistic skills have had a direct impact on her success as a Car Painter.

She recommends that other young people participate in the WorldSkills regional and national competitions because she has enjoyed the experience so much. “You always have a lot to gain from the experience and nothing to lose.” She has been looking forward to going to Calgary and has been working hard to prepare herself for the intense international Competition. She is keen to see how her skills stack up against the rest of the world and will give the competition her best shot.

On Monday, Jemma set up her work station on the Competition site, and was highly impressed with what she saw so far. “The venue and equipment is awesome, plus the weather is great too!”