In late September, William Nickl and Connor Beisler jetted off to Shanghai, China, to represent Australia at WorldSkills International. 

It’s been a long journey for the duo, who first qualified in the regional Baking and Patisserie fields respectively back in 2024, going on to compete at a national level in 2025 before being selected for Team Australia. 

Baking Business magazine caught up with Connor and William to hear all about their experience, which saw Connor place seventh and receive a Medal for Excellence, and William place 12th. 

William Nickl

How was the WorldSkills International Competition?

It was truly remarkable. From the moment Team Australia came together in Sydney, the team spirit was high. The opening ceremony was unbelievable, and the sheer size and scale of the competition is something you can only truly understand when you see it with your own eyes.

The competition itself was incredible. The skill level of all the competitors was exceptional, and to be part of such an amazing event was an absolute privilege.

It was quite the journey to get to Shanghai, from competing in WorldSkills Australia to the Global Skills Challenge. How did each competition prepare you for the next?

It has been a very long journey to compete on the international stage. It all started at the WorldSkills regional competition in 2024, followed by the national competition in Brisbane in 2025. From there, I was selected for Team Australia, and the intensity and volume of my training really increased.

The Global Skills Challenge was an important part of my preparation. It gave me the opportunity to see the skill level of other competitors and understand what was required to compete internationally. I took all the feedback I received from that experience and began applying it to my training, which helped me continue to improve in the lead-up to Shanghai.

What was the experience like in Shanghai? How long did you have to settle in and prepare after you arrived?

Team Australia arrived in Shanghai on September 19, with the opening ceremony taking place on September 22. During that time, we had the opportunity to do some sightseeing, meet other competitors and visit the competition venue to familiarise ourselves with the space.

The competition began on September 23 and was spread over four days. However, in both bakery, patisserie and confectionery, we competed over two,  eight-hour competition days, on September 25 and 26.

Tell us about the competition itself. What did you have to do?

Over the two days of competition, I had to produce a range of products, all based on the theme of The Chinese panda. These included:

• An 80cm chocolate showpiece
• 20 vegan chocolate bonbons
• Two identical marzipan figurines
• A two-tier celebration cake
• Four fruit tarts, served as plated desserts
• A 40cm sugar showpiece
• Checkerboard sable biscuits. These were a mystery item that all competitors found out about the day before we had to produce them.

It was definitely a lot of work to complete within the timeframe, so I had to make sure I used every second wisely and didn’t waste any time.

What was the most enjoyable part, and what was the most challenging?

One of the most enjoyable parts was developing my products and working together as a team with my parents, Tracy and Vicki, my brother, Josh, and my trainer, Dammika Hatharasinghe. Together, we created so many great memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

I also loved spending time with the other Skillaroos. We are all very like-minded individuals, and it was rewarding to spend time together before the competition began, especially after everyone had trained so hard in their respective skill areas.

The most challenging part was managing the workload and time pressure while maintaining a high standard across every product. With so many different items to complete in just two days, time management and staying focused were essential.

You placed 12th, which is an incredible result. Can you tell us about this experience?

To be completely honest, I was a little disappointed, as I really wanted to finish in the top 10. However, qualifying to compete at WorldSkills International among competitors from around the world was an achievement in itself, and I am incredibly proud to have represented Australia on the international stage.

The experience has taught me so much, both professionally and personally, and I will take those lessons with me throughout my career.

Now that the competition is over, what do the next few months hold for you?

I’m now back at work at Gumnut Patisserie and enjoying being back with the team. I’ll use the skills and knowledge I’ve developed over the past two years to continue creating showpieces for the shop and push myself to keep improving as a pastry chef.

Connor Beisler

How was the WorldSkills International Competition?

The competition was huge. Overall it was an amazing experience [with] long days, stress, pressure – it was all there, but to bring years of training together and compete against 21 other young bakers on the world stage and place 7th was a dream come true.

It was quite the journey to get to Shanghai, from competing here in WorldSkills Australia and the Global Skills Challenge. How did each competition prepare you for the next?

It was a long journey from the beginning at Regional WorldSkills at Hamilton right through to Shanghai, but each competition in between taught me resilience, hard work and dedication. No competition is easy no matter what level it is at. The stress, hard work, time management that these events take is a lesson in itself. The repetition of processes and competition guidelines helps to prepare you for the future competitions. It’s like match fitness the more you compete the better you handle all the pressures that come with it.

What was the experience like in Shanghai? How long did you have to settle in and prepare after you arrived?

The experience was amazing we got to do a little bit of sightseeing but just the networking and hospitality was outstanding. Once we arrived we had a few days to settle in which was great to acclimatise to it all.

Tell us about the competition itself. What did you have to do?

The competition was a two-day event with a total of 15 working hours. We got a test project which told us the different breads we had to produce including but not limited to sourdough, ciabatta, baguettes, croissants and a decorative showpiece.

What was the most enjoyable part? And the most challenging?

The most enjoyable part was seeing 21 other young bakers like myself from around the world doing what they love on an international stage it was an amazing display of young talent not just in baking but all skills. The most challenging part of any competition is adjusting to the ingredients and a new environment and equipment.

You received a Medal for Excellence. Can you tell us about this experience?

It was a nervous wait at the closing ceremony as the names were being called out for the other skills. When bakery finally came along I missed out on the podium but then my name came up seventh and a medal of excellence. I was over the moon. My goal was top 10 and hopefully that Medal of Excellence, so to achieve that was an amazing feeling and also a relief to see my years of hard work had finally paid off.

Now the competition is over, what do the next few months hold for you?

This is a question I get asked all the time. It’s been years of competitions and hard work for me not just for worldskills but all the competitions I have competed in.

I don’t know what the future holds yet but for now it will be some well earned rest and just getting back into the routine of normal life.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I just want to add a massive thank you to all those around me who supported in my journey to this international event.

My partner, Kayla, who has been with me through all my competitions. My mentor Dean Tilden, who has taught me everything I know today. Also to Dean Gibson, Jon Pryor.