SkillsUSA 2022 National Leadership & Skills Conference

The 2022 SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC) took place on June 20-24 in Atlanta, Georgia. The annual conference works to create and mentor the upcoming generations in masonry by creating a network of leadership and learning amongst students, instructors, and partners in the industry. The SkillsUSA competition consists of students of secondary and post-secondary categories initially taking a written exam prior to the competition and then reconstructing the project effectively. Approximately 40 contestants participated in the six-hour competition and built a brick and block project set on a concrete block case. The competitors were judged based on a criterion of the written exam along with an evaluation of the project by a panel of judges focusing on quality, efficiency, safety, and more. Congratulations to all of the hard work that was put in by all of the competitors, organizers, and contributors.

The winners of the 2022 SkillsUSA masonry competition were announced on Friday, June 24th and are as follows:

Secondary SkillsUSA Winners

1st PLACE
ANDERSON PRUETT
WEST ROWAN HIGH SCHOOL

2nd PLACE
SAMUEL BERRYMAN
BERKS CTC - EAST CAMPUS

3rd PLACE
ROSS NYE
VANGUARD-SENTINEL CTC – SENTINEL CAMPUS

Post-Secondary SkillsUSA Winners

1st PLACE
CHRIS PARKER
RESOURCE VALLEY CONSTRUCTION TRAINING COUNCIL, INC

2nd PLACE
ROBERT MCKIBBEN
DALLAS COLLEGE, NORTH LAKE CAMPUS

3rd PLACE
RYAN FALLON
WILLIAMSON COLLEGE OF THE TRADES

Words and Photos: MCAA/MASONRY Magazine

Color Trends Shaping Today’s Masonry Projects
July 2026

Homeowners today are coming into projects with a lot more opinions than they used to have. Between social media, home shows and contractor sites, most customers already have a look in mind before you even quote the job. For masonry contractors, having a

The New Equation for Masonry Profit: Predictable Hardware and Proven Data
July 2026

The masonry industry is built on tradition, but modern growth requires a shift from guesswork to absolute certainty. When we talk about the philosophy that you cannot improve what you do not measure, we are looking at the literal minutes and manpower lost

Owen Heimbach
July 2026

This month, the MCAA had the pleasure of speaking with SkillsUSA First Place Winner Owen Heimbach, a young mason just starting out whose enthusiasm for bricklaying is truly contagious. His passion for the craft was evident throughout our interview.

Backfill Your Foundation
July 2026

I’ve been noticing an uptick in a very specific kind of application lately, and once you see the pattern, you can’t unsee it. The résumé usually reads like a family photo album. “Started helping my dad when I was 15.” “Worked summers, then full time.” “R