Presentation (20 minutes) – maximum of TWO speakers per presentation TAFE Directors Australia Convention 2026

How TAFE NSW took the training wheels off to accelerate their World Skills National impact (129343)

Matt Mcinnes 1 , Danna Brown 1 , Matt McInnes 1
  1. Tafe NSW, Ultimo, NSW, Australia

 

In 2025, TAFE NSW delivered a national-first WorldSkills Training Camp that went far beyond technical preparation—it became the creative engine behind the Skillablues campaign, showcasing the transformative power of vocational education through real stories and real skills.

The three-day camp, delivered in collaboration with over 10 internal teams and external creative partners, simulated national competition conditions for 119 competitors across 30+ trades. What made this initiative extraordinary was the intentional integration of content creation into part of the experience. Media crews captured student journeys, trainer insights, and immersive training moments in real time. These assets were used to fuel a bold multi-platform campaign that elevated TAFE NSW’s brand, deepened audience engagement, and highlighted the human impact of skills training.

This presentation will demonstrate how TAFE NSW harnessed the power of storytelling, student voice, and collaboration to position itself as a national leader in skills excellence. From reels and 360° video to live interviews and personal narratives, the Skillablues campaign created a wave of brand advocacy that reached far beyond traditional marketing.

Learning outcomes for attendees:

  • Learn how to embed content creation and brand storytelling into education and training initiatives.
  • Explore how multi-team collaboration—from education delivery and marketing to operations and media—can elevate impact.
  • Take away a repeatable model for how to transform training into a national campaign that builds reputation, reach, and student pride.

The presenter has 25+ years’ experience leading major campaigns at TAFE NSW as well as Tourism Australia, Nike, Rebel, AMEX and Mars, with firsthand experience coordinating multi-disciplinary teams to deliver brand impact at scale.