Alice Springs student Lucy Southam claims gold in Brisbane WorldSkills competition

Territory students have taken out top honours at this year’s WorldSkills in Brisbane, with one Alice Springs claiming ultimate victory. Find out more

16-year-old Lucy Southam has come to Alice Springs from Brisbane with a gold medal and a ticket to Shanghai after winning gold in the 2025 WorldSkills VETiS make up services category. Picture: Supplied

An Alice Springs student has put on a clinic at the latest WorldSkills competition, nabbing the top spot and helping the Territory walk away with an impressive medal haul.

Sixteen-year-old Lucy Southam claimed gold in the VET in Schools make up services category at the 2025 Brisbane WorldSkills competition.

“I was up against seven other girls, and there was a couple of them from the start that I was like ‘oh, you’re going to be very good – you’re gonna be some big competition for me’,” she said.

16-year-old Lucy Southam has come home to Alice Springs from Brisbane with a gold medal in the 2025 WorldSkills competition. Picture: Supplied

“So yeah it felt good to get on top of them.”

Ms Southam, currently in year 11, said she’d travelled without her parents to Brisbane to compete, but that her parents were watching her every move on the event’s livestream.

“As soon as I was able to grab my phone after I got it (the gold), there was already messages from everyone in my family,” she said.

Ms Southam thanked her teachers for their support and said she planned on finishing school with dreams of one day opening her own salon.

But in the meantime, she’ll keep her salon job as she works towards getting her qualifications.

“Once I graduate, I’ll do some more hours there (at the salon), finish my diploma in beauty services so I can be fully qualified and then move on to wherever it takes me,” she said.

The WorldSkills competition took place from June 12 to 14, with Ms Southam one of five Territory students receiving honours.

Also from Alice Springs, Brandy Loechte took out bronze in the open hairdressing category, while Matthew Jenko from Darwin also took home a bronze in the open electrical installation category.

Territorians Brandy Loechte, Lucy Southam, and Matthew Jenko all took out medals in the 2025 WorldSkills competition in Brisbane, June 2025. Picture: Supplied

Receiving certificates of excellence for their performances were Alesandria Tipi in the open beauty therapy category and Lillie-Bella Fielding in the open cookery category.

Pro Vice-Chancellor and Charles Darwin University TAFE chief executive Mike Hamilton said he was proud of all competitors who represented the Territory.

“It is a privilege to be able to showcase just some of the talent we have from across the NT,” he said.

Originally published as Alice Springs student Lucy Southam claims gold in Brisbane WorldSkills competition