Ben Micallef is excited about representing Australia in the Maztech international final later this month.
The Trauganina tech whiz, who works at Werribee Mazda, will fly to Japan for the international final of the competition on May 22. The competition tests the skills of Mazda technicians from around the world.
Of the 244 technicians who entered the Australian section of the competition, 32 progressed to the state finals and eight to the national finals.
Out of those eight, just two, including Mr Micallef, 33, were selected to represent Australia at the international finals.
Mr Micallef said the national finals, held in Mulgrave, required the competitors to demonstrate technical skills such as engine testing, diagnosing faults and performing repairs on vehicles and car components.
He said the competitors were given 20 minutes to complete each task, as the judges wanted to see how they performed under pressure.
“It was the first time I’ve ever done anything like this,” Mr Micallef said.
“I was probably more nervous than anything, and a bit excited.”
Mr Micallef began his career in the automotive industry at the age of 18, working at a Tullamarine workshop before starting at Werribee Mazda.
