Participants
Project Manager & Leading Advisor
STEVE BULMAN
AUSTRALIA
Steve brings to the event experience gained from over 40 years as a self-employed joinery manufacturer and a 20+ year association with WorldSkills Australia as a former National Chief Judge and Designer and an International Expert in joinery with WorldSkills International. Steve has travelled widely assisting young people internationally to seize every opportunity that comes their way to grow and excel. “There is something really special about fashioning things from wood. Done well, it satisfies the eye, the head, the hands and the heart. Wood is good.”
Team Leaders (In the alphabetical order of the country and region represented)
JAKOB OFENBERGER
AUSTRIA
I´m 22 years old. I live in Waidhofen an der Ybbs, a town located in the middle of Austria. I left school to become a Joiner when I was 15. In 2009, I started my apprenticeship as a Joiner. I am employed at Bene GmbH since 2012, an office furniture producing company with around 900 employees around the world. In 2013, I attended to a One-Year School to become a master Joiner.
REINIS GUSTS
LATVIA
I lived in the countryside for the most of my life. I am supposed to take over my parents’ farm, but I am highly interested in cabinet making, and I would like to open my own wood workshop. I have participated in several national level contests. Last year I participated in WorldSkills Sao Paulo and this year I participated in EuroSkill Sweden, where I took the third place.
JOSE BARÓ MARTÍNEZ
SPAIN
I am 24, born and raised in Guardamar de la Safor, a small town in the province of Valencia, Spain. I participated in various cabinetmaking competitions, building furnitures and gaining the national recognition of my country. Later on, I obtained the best title among all students of my specialty in Spain.
YU-CHI LUO
TAIWAN
I participated in 2015 WorldSkills and won the bronze medal in Cabinetmaking competition. I enjoyed working with wood by in my free time. I feel confident every time when I built something with wood, it seems to me that I've given the wood a new value and life.
Team Members (In the alphabetical order of the country and region represented)
JOANNA STEWART
AUSTRALIA
I’m 21 years old, and in my second year of my Shopfitting apprenticeship. I chose this career pathway with a dream to one day design and build a ‘Tiny House’ which will enable me to live completely off-grid.
CHRISTIAN BUCHEGGER
AUSTRIA
I am 21 years old and live with my family in Austria. Back at home we have a small joinery workshop with basic tools, it's where I spent a lot of my childhood. After finished my education, I decided to make my hobby as my work, to work as a carpenter. I’m nominated to represent Austria for the EuroSkills 2018 in Hungary.
WALTER SAILER
AUSTRIA
I live with my family in a small village called Loipersdorf. I am an apprentice in Wiesfleck since July, 2013. I participated in different competitions in Austria, and I won some medals.
MARTIN KAUKES
ESTONIA
I have studied woodworking for four years, and in relation to that, I have acquired a lot of specialized skills. I have studied at Tallinn Construction School to become a cabinetmaker for one year, and three years at Rakvere Vocation School. I have acquired complimentary training and chances to go to courses in foreign countries.
RUDI YANTO
INDONESIA
I was born in Indonesia, and I love wood working / carpentry. In October, 2014, I entered ASEAN competition in Ha Noi, Vietnam, and I won the medal. I participated in WorldSkill competition 2015 in Brazil, and I got medallion of excellent.
CIAN MULLIGAN
IRELAND
I'm 20 years old and a student studying Furniture and Wood Technology in Ireland. I have represented Ireland at WorldSkills Sao Paulo 2015 in the skill area of Cabinet Making, finishing 6th and was awarded a Medallion of Excellence. I have competed in the three wood trade IrelandSkills competitions, Cabinet Making, Joinery and Carpentry. Having won all three, I am the only person to ever do so in Ireland.
KEIKO WATANABE
JAPAN
I was born and brought up in Tokyo. I began to learn woodworking when I was 15 years old in high school. I participated in WorldSkills Japan in 2016 and became to love woodworking and furniture making. My favorite designer is Frank Lloyd Wright, because both of the buildings and furnitures he designed are wonderful.
MINDAUGAS DIMŠLYS
LITHUANIA
I was born and grew up in Kelme, Lithuania. When I was 12 years old, I started to be interested in wood mastery. While studying in high school, I participated in regional and republican Olympiads technology. In 2016, I entered Vilnius Academy of Arts for Master study of Sculpture Restoration. In spare time l volunteer at art furniture restoration section at Franz Gudynas restoration center in Lithuanian National Museum.
KYAW PHYOE PAING
MYANMAR
I came from Myanmar, and became an apprentice in cabinet making in 2011. In 2015, I finished cabinet making training and obtained my graduated certificate. Now, I'm working at a furniture workplace, named PARIBAWGA as a prototype and design. I can do wood furniture with hand tools, portable tools and industrial machines, and I can create furniture design with CAD, Sketch. I love to do and create new design for wood furniture.
MARTIN HERNANDEZ
UNITED STATES
I grew up and live in Orange County. I transferred to CSULB from Golden West Community College as an illustration major. After discovering the wood-shop and wood program at CSULB I immediately changed my major and direction in life. I am now fully committed to being a crafts person and exploring what that means in today's world and challenge myself to theorize what that means for the future.
BRIANA PERO
UNITED STATES
B. Pero is a maker and student of industrial design. While her education asks the designer to create, as a means for consumption; her humanity begs objects to be considered beyond their temporal appeal. By examining these "accessories" through a lens of Art, Anthropology, History, and Psychology, she formulates a foundation to further unpack the divide between Craft and Design. This platform becomes an exploration of materials, social structures, and the ideals encoded within our manufactured world. The aesthetic of slender lines and traditional joinery, acts as a point of manipulation. The viewer sees an object instep with modern trends, but lurking beneath the surface is a philosophy aimed to usurp the status quo.
JUSTIN YASGOOR
UNITED STATES
I am 29 years old, and am addicted to creativity. I love Hiking, Bodysurfing, Dancing, Sewing, Drawing, Lauging, Drumming, Dreaming, and connecting. I have hiked the mountains of Peru, Scuba dived the Galapagos islands, and have lived with the Aboriginals of Australia. Earth’s land, its people, and their culture all sing inspiration into my heart. I have been playing the didgeridoo for over 17 years. Woodworking has been a deep passion of mine, a moving meditation and a medium of continuous adventure and learning. I am grateful to breathe the sky deep into my being.
DAVID AWERMAN
UNITED STATES
I’m 22 years old. I’ve lived in San Diego my whole life. I started woodworking in high school and am currently studying furniture making at Palomar College.
OTON GONZALEZ
UNITED STATES
I was born and raised in Leucadia CA. I found the woodworking program at Palomar in 2014. I have since taken many classes that have fueled me to further my skills and knowledge working with wood. The Cabinet and Furniture technology program at Palomar College has given me an opportunity to find something I truly enjoy doing. Working on personal projects and alongside my classmates and instructors. The camaraderie I have experienced has been inspiring it has given me confidence in my short woodworking career.
GILBERT BOTTITA
UNITED STATES
My name is Gilbert Bottita. I am 22 years old and from Los Angeles California. I began woodworking when I was 18. I’m a full time student at Cerritos College. I plan on getting my woodworking certificate in furniture design. This will be my first woodworking competition.
