The 17th annual Masonry Skills Challenge, held February 3, 2016, during the MCAA Convention at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry in Las Vegas, showed off the best apprentices our industry has to offer.
The Masonry Skills Challenge is a competition of masonry apprentices in first, second and third year skill levels. The contest is a showcase for skills training in the masonry industry, challenging winning apprentices from regional U.S. and foreign competitions to determine the top masonry apprentice at each level. This exciting competition spotlights our industry’s finest young masons and focuses attention on careers in the masonry industry.
Each contestant was presented with a project drawing appropriate to their skill level just moments before the competition began. Contestants only had three hours to construct the project based on the materials provided. The final projects looked great; the apprentices should be very proud of their three hours of hard work. The judges were impressed with the quality of the apprentices’ construction, and had the tough decision of choosing the winners.
The top-placing contestants for each skill level were as follows:
FIRST YEAR APPRENTICES
FIRST PLACE
Chaz Tomberlin
McGee Brothers Company
Monroe, N.C.
SECOND PLACE
Andrew Siefert
JP Cullen & Sons, Inc.
Janesville, Wisc.
THIRD PLACE
Jaris McClurg
WASCO, Inc.
Knoxville, Tenn.
SECOND YEAR APPRENTICES
FIRST PLACE
Heath Maclean
WASCO, Inc.
Nashville, Tenn.
SECOND PLACE
Mack O’Dell
Fort Scott Community College
Pittsburg, Kan.
THIRD PLACE
Ken Hernandez
Vandermay Construction
Kalamazoo, Mich.
THIRD YEAR APPRENTICES
FIRST PLACE
Lane Mullis
McGee Brothers Company
Monroe, N.C.
SECOND PLACE
Neal Hydeman
D & D Masonry
Kansas City, Mo.
THIRD PLACE
Nicholas Bracy
Bracy & Jahr
Quincy, Mich.
All winners received trophies, cash prizes, and Marshalltown Company tool bags. First place winners also received engraved trowels from Marshalltown Company and concrete calculators from Calculated Industries. All contestants received a level from competition sponsor Stabila and additional prizes.
For more information about the competition, its sponsors and contributors, please visit www.masonryskillschallenge.com.
Tim O’Toole is the Director of Marketing, Education, and Information Technology for the MCAA.