WorldSkills Australia showcases top vocational talent across multiple trades on a national stage every two years, culminating in regional and national championships.
Among its most dynamic and forward‑looking events is the VETiS Augmented Reality (AR) Welding Competition, delivered in partnership with Weld Australia. First piloted during the 2024 regional championships at TAFE Queensland’s Toowoomba campus, this competition drew twenty students into immersive, technology‑driven welding tasks using AR simulators that replicate Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) and Manual Metal Arc Welding (MMAW) processes.
Participants negotiated precise welding procedure specifications, safe setup, and real‑time scoring on fine motor skills such as torch angle, speed, and consistency; without the heat or hazards of live arcs.
The AR format has now spread across 42 regions, involving thousands of apprentices, trainees, and students competing in regional rounds to qualify for national finals in 2025.
Leveraging AR and digitalization in welding training
Industrial trends and methodology
Research has demonstrated the psychomotor benefits of virtual welding training: trainees develop better torch‑control, travel angle, arc length consistency, and welding speed through interactive feedback and gamified learning mechanisms.
Systematic-review evidence confirms that AR/VR training accelerates skills acquisition with measurable improvements in technical accuracy, muscle memory, and learner engagement.
Welding processes and performance metrics
Competitors are assessed across multiple modules: GMAW (MIG/MAG), MMAW (stick welding), and sometimes vessel or surprise projects; all following Welding Procedure Specifications aligned to ISO 9606 standards.
AR systems continuously monitor key metrics including travel angle, work angle, torch position, speed consistency, and welding parameters setup. This enables real-time scoring and post‑session replay, facilitating detailed review of technique and compliance with industry standards.
Seabery’s Solution: Soldamatic AR Welding Simulator
Seabery delivers a cutting-edge, augmented reality welding simulator that aligns perfectly with WorldSkills’ methodology and industrial training needs.
This welding solution provides:
HyperReal-SIM visual realism for accurate flame and bead simulation. | Data‑driven feedback on angle, speed, heat input, and consistency. | Significant efficiency gains: 34 % more welders certified, in 56 % less time, with up to 68 % cost reduction per study data. | Scalability across workshops: Trainees can proceed at their own pace, with zero risk or consumable waste. |
Driving industrial and educational transformation
Seabery’s AR welding simulator represents a methodological leap in welding education: combining technology, industrial alignment, automation, and digital metrics to prepare trainees for real‑world manufacturing and fabrication sectors. Its use within WorldSkills Australia reflects a strong synergy between competition standards, Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, and industry certification.
Moreover, as part of Weld Australia’s ArcAhead initiative, legacy Soldamatic units are refurbished and redeployed into underserved communities: promoting inclusivity, sustainability, and social impact across regional and Indigenous training programs
Building a skilled, future-ready workforce
WorldSkills Australia’s integration of augmented reality into its welding competitions signals a new era for industrial skills training. By leveraging AR welding simulators, competitions now focus on precision, methodology, and safe practice, not only showcasing talent but advancing vocational training itself.
Whether in regional classrooms or national competition settings, they helps train skilled welders faster, safer, and more sustainably. By combining automation, digitalization, and methodological rigor, Seabery is empowering the next generation of industrial professionals and supporting a future-ready welding workforce.
