Joseph Morris competing in the TMHA National Skills Contest.

Melbourne apprentice technician Joseph Morris will tour Toyota's forklift manufacturing plant in Japan after winning the Apprentice of the Year award in Toyota Material Handling Australia's (TMHA) annual national skills contest.

Travis Childs from Sydney won the skills contest for Master Technician of the Year and was also named national Technician of the Year for Raymond products.

Brisbane's Bill Harris claimed the title of national Technician of the Year for Toyota warehouse products.

Shaun Xerri from Sydney is the 2013 national Technician of the Year for BT products, a title he also won in 2010.

The three Toyota forklift technicians each won a $2,000 skills development voucher.

Two hundred Toyota forklift technicians and apprentices entered this year's contest, with all finalists receiving $300 worth of tools, a framed certificate and a watch.

TMHA executive vice president and chief operating officer Steve Takacs says the skills contest has a direct benefit for forklift customers, because a high skills standard among technicians increases both customer satisfaction and workplace safety.