2007 International Apprentice Contest Showcases Skill – Pride – and Commitment to the Future

Journal: Issue 6 - 2007

In September, the new John J. Flynn BAC/IMI International Training Center in Bowie, Maryland set the stage for the 2007 International Apprentice Contest hosted by BAC and the International Masonry Institute (IMI). After excelling at competitions at the Local and Regional levels, more than 100 apprentices from across the U.S. and Canada competed in eight craft categories for the right to be called “Best of the Best” in their craft.

The Contest was at the center of four days of dawn-to-dusk activity that also included the dedication of the Training Center with Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, and a stellar Awards Banquet on September 23rd, where presidential candidate Senator Hillary Clinton accepted BAC’s endorsement and congratulated the contestants.

On the first day of the brick, cement, tile, stone, plaster, PCC, terrazzo and marble contests, contestants completed a written exam that tested their working knowledge of their respective crafts. The second day saw contestants lay out and construct their craft-specific mockups under the watchful eye of a knowledgeable team of experienced judges and hundreds of onlookers, including members of the BAC Executive Council, Labor-Management Craft Committees, and IMI Boards.

IU President John J. Flynn said of the event, “The Apprentice Contest shows how dedicated to their careers these young craftworkers are, and the new Training Center clearly demonstrates our Union’s and our contractors’ commitment to the future.”

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE CONTESTANTS!

Prizes
First place winners received $5,000 cash, a $10,000 Savings Bond and a $500 BAC Tool Sales Gift Certificate. Second place winners were awarded $2,500 cash, a $5,000 Savings Bond and a $500 BAC Tool Sales Gift Certificate. Third place winners were given $2,000 cash, a $1,000 Savings Bond and a $250 BAC Tool Sales Gift Certificate.

To meet the contestants, visit www.bacweb.org/apprentice_contest/2007

All Contest-related webcasts, photographs and information are still available at BAC’s website at www.bacweb.org – just select the “Contest” banner on the homepage.