Outreach Outlook: A Year of Momentum and Building Our Future Together

Words: Robert Melgaard

As 2025 draws to a close, it’s a natural time for reflection. This month marks a personal milestone for me, my one-year anniversary as the National Director of Youth Outreach & Education. What an incredible year it has been for the newly established Outreach and Education division of MCAA. In just twelve months, we have laid a strong foundation, built critical momentum, and truly begun to build capacity and connection across the masonry education landscape.

I want to start by extending my deepest gratitude to everyone who rallied for us during the Truist Foundation Inspire Awards live event last month. The tremendous support we received was a powerful and humbling testament to our industry's unity and strength. While we were honored to be finalists for our ReCastED program, which creates pathways for tradespeople to become instructors, the real win was seeing our industry come together to champion the future of our trade. That energy is what propels us forward.

2025 was truly a landmark year for our division. We set out with a clear mission: to support and grow a skilled, passionate, and resilient workforce.

  • We expanded our regional leadership, welcoming Conner Birdsong as Region 2 Director and Jason McCoy as Region 3 Director, giving us dedicated "boots-on-the-ground" support in the Southeast and Midwest.

  • We innovated in the classroom, developing and demoing the new 3D Wall Scanner and Evaluator, a tool designed to provide immediate, data-driven feedback to students.

  • We put instructors at the heart of our mission, developing alternative certification pathways and supporting the updated NCCER curriculum to ensure students are learning the most relevant skills.

This momentum is carrying us straight into 2026. We are incredibly excited for the new year and hope to connect with many of you at the 2026 World of Concrete Convention in January. We invite everyone to visit the MCAA booth, meet our team, and discuss how we can collaborate in the year ahead. These in-person events are vital for recharging, reconnecting, and recommitting to our shared mission.

Thank you, as always, to the educators, contractors, and partners who make this work possible. Your dedication is the bedrock of our success. We are building the future of masonry—together.

Stay connected, stay strong, and I look forward to seeing you in the new year.


About: Outreach Outlook
Contractor Tip of the Month: Get Used to the Pain
April 2026

Pain isn’t just negative; it’s a natural part of growing and improving. Instead of seeing pain as a reason to quit, recognize it as a sign you’re making progress. What sets successful people apart is their ability to stay calm and keep going when things g

Damian Lang
Contractor Tip of the Month
Read More
Fechino Files: Diesels Below 32 Degrees
April 2026

I am guessing that if you are reading this, then you experienced the cold, late-January spell that took over most of the country. The cold weather has many effects on the operations of a masonry contractor, from job shutdowns to equipment starting issues,

Steven Fechino
Fechino Files
Read More
Outreach Outlook: Building Momentum Across the Southern Region
April 2026

As April arrives, the pace of our outreach and workforce efforts across the Southern Region reaches a new level of intensity. This is the time of year when our programs, partners, and state collaborators all accelerate at once. SkillsUSA competitions are

Conner Birdsong
Outreach Outlook
Read More
Marvelous Masonry: Elbphilharmonie
April 2026

Most people know the Elbphilharmonie for its glass façade and dramatic roofline. From a distance, that’s what defines the skyline in Hamburg’s HafenCity district. But for masonry contractors and suppliers, the real story starts at the base.

Cass Stern
Marvelous Masonry
Read More