The events and activities surrounding the recent BAC/IMI
International Apprentice Contest were so relentless and fast-paced
that the Journal decided to give the six winners some breathing
room before asking them to reflect on their Contest experiences.
We caught up with each of them after they had returned home,
received their new Ford pick-up trucks, and had some time
to let their impressive achievements sink in.
One thing is
clear – with their Contest wins behind
them and new work opportunities ahead – these winners
are going places.
Brick : It Turned Out Better Than I Hoped
Before the Contest, Steve Koontz was pretty sure he knew
all about the BAC/IMI training system, but his perspective
widened as he progressed through the regional and Semi-Final
competitions.
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| Local 5 OH Bricklayer Steve Koontz’s parents were ecstatic over his win, although they told him “we knew you could do it.” The owner of Crest Masonry, Koontz’s employer, was proud one of his employees won. |
“
I had no clue that IMI was so big, and that they had a
training center like that,” he says, referring to
the National Training Center in Fort Ritchie, Maryland,
where the Semi-Finals were held.
For Koontz, a double highlight of the final Awards Dinner
was realizing fellow Local 5 Ohio member Todd Kline had
taken second place in the Brick category. “I was
happy that Local 5 had come in first and second.”
So
was Local 5 Apprentice Coordinator Anthony McCullough
who says Koontz’s win has “certainly sparked
interest in the next contest.”
As for the reaction of his fellow bricklayers on the
job, Koontz says now they “think I should do all
the work.”
And how does Koontz feel about winning
the International competition? “It turned out
better than I had hoped. I wasn’t really expecting
to go that far,” was his modest reply.
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