Sharlene competed at the WorldSkills Australia national championships when they were last held in Perth in 2014, winning the gold medal for painting. She went on to compete as a Skillaroo in Sao Paulo Brazil in 2015 — her first trip outside Australia — and has been a WorldSkills Australia judge at regional level and at nationals in 2016 and 2018. Sharlene has been selected as Deputy Chief Judge for the first time in the WorldSkills Australia National Championships and Skills Show to be held 29 April to 1 May 2021 at the Perth Conference and Exhibition Centre.
In 2016 Sharlene won an Ern MacDonald Fellowship to set up her own painting business. She has since completed her Certificate IV Trainer and Assessor qualification, and is now employed as a VET trainer and the Schools Program Coordinator Apprentice Employment at MPA Skills where she originally did her apprenticeship. As a VET Ambassador, Sharlene is inspiring students through her achievements.
