Shorten began skating in 1982. He placed 21st at the 1991 World Junior Championships in Budapest, just missing the cut-off for the free skate. At the 1992 World Junior Championships in Hull, Quebec, he qualified for the final segment and finished 19th. Shorten won bronze at the 1992 Piruetten and silver at the 1994 Czech Skate. He was 19th overall at the 1995 World Championships in Birmingham, England, after placing 22nd in the short and 18th in the free.