Masonry Magazine April 2001 Page. 8
from the editor
SKILLS CONTESTS DISPLAYS OUR
INDUSTRY'S FINEST
The Mason Contractors Association of America's Masonry Showcase offered a fitting backdrop for two exciting displays of masonry skill and craftsmanship. On Friday, February 23, sixteen journeymen masons from around the United States put their reputations on the line to compete for the title of "Fastest Trowel." Five of the contestants were past winners of previous fastest trowel contests which added to the excitement of the event. Roughly seven hundred spectators cheered on their favorite contestant during the twenty minute display of speed and skill. Although the level of competition was extremely high, Jeff Goebel of Sutter Masonry in Phoenix, Arizona, a previous Fastest Trowel winner, took the title once again.
Highlighting the Masonry Showcase on Saturday, February 24th was another showcase of skills with the International Masonry Skills Challenge, which pitted apprentices from throughout the U.S. and Canada in a competition of apprenticeship skills and the right to be called the industry's top apprentice. The twenty-seven apprentices competing in the three levels of skills competition won the right to compete by winning regional Masonry Skills Competitions. The winner of the third-year competition was Jose Herrera of L.F. Jennings, Inc. The winner of the second year competition was Travis Manning of C.B.C. Masonry, Inc., and the winner of the first year competition was Chris Sutherland of Red Brookshire of Florida, Inc.
The MCAA has taken the lead role in sponsoring these two skills competitions because of the strong level of excitement the two competitions bring to our industry's workforce development efforts. As difficult as it seems to motivate mason contractors to become involved in the recruitment and training of our future workforce, it is events such as the Fastest Trowel Competition and the Masonry Skills Challenge that stimulate their enthusiasm for training. It's hard not to become excited about recruiting and training when you see the results of our industry's efforts in an international competition such as the ones held at the Masonry Showcase.
During the two events, as I walked around the audience to view the competitions, I could hear mason contractors talk about how they were going to enter an apprentice in their regional skills competitions next year. Some bragged that they had a faster journeyman working for them that they might want to see compete in next year's Fastest Trowel in Phoenix. What's unfortunate is that there are quality apprentices and talented journeymen that are not entered into a national competition. In some cases, the union forbids their best to compete for fear that they will be embarrassed by a non-union apprentice. In some cases, a mason contractor or a local mason contractor association chapter holds local competitions only to prevent their best from showcasing their skills at the national competition. As contractors, you take pride in promoting that your firm is the best and you have a chance to show it everyday when you build a project. The apprentices of our workforce have just as much pride in their abilities. We shouldn't prevent them from proving that they are the best by competing in a national competition with the best from around the country.
Regardless the absences in the competitions, a definite buzz of excitement was apparent on the competition floor during the two days of events. From what I'm told, it's this type of enthusiasm in training that has been lacking for years in our industry. It seems to me that the pride is coming back, and these two exciting events certainly contribute to that pride.
Debra J. Mitchell, Editor-In-Chief