NCCER Recognizes 2018 SkillsUSA National Carpentry, Masonry Competition Winners

NCCER recognizes the winners of this year’s SkillsUSA national carpentry and masonry competitions. The winners were announced at the 54th annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference.

More than 6,500 outstanding career and technical education students competed in 102 different craft, technical and leadership fields. The competitions were part of the SkillsUSA Championships, which is the national-level competition for secondary and postsecondary students enrolled in CTE programs. Students not only test their knowledge and skills against industry standards, but are given the opportunity to compete against peers in their craft.

2018 marked the ninth year that NCCER has sponsored the national carpentry competition and its sixth year sponsoring the national masonry competition. Carpentry Technical Committee Chair Boyd Worsham of The Haskell Company and Masonry Technical Committee Co-Chairs Jeff Buczkiewicz of Mason Contractors Association of America and Ryan Shaver of North Carolina Masonry Contractors Association led the way in organizing this year’s events.

This year’s carpentry competition featured 71 secondary and postsecondary competitors. The high school medalists were Nicholas Ruff of Jefferson City, Missouri (gold); Kadin Stowers of Rathdrum, Idaho (silver) and Lucas Johnson of Manchester, Connecticut (bronze). Postsecondary medalists were Dylan Giager of Fort Scott, Kansas (gold); Mitchell Davis of Wellsville, New York (silver) and Dylan Bauguess of Wilkesboro, North Carolina (bronze).

Additionally, 54 masonry competitors challenged their skills this year. The high school medalists were Mason Saunders of Mount Pleasant, North Carolina (gold); Cole Christadore of Danielson, Connecticut (silver) and Cole Rains of Eureka Springs, Arizona (bronze). Postsecondary medalists were Ashton White of Salisbury, North Carolina (gold); Bryce Dean of Media, Pennsylvania (silver) and Jake Freeman of Selma, Alabama (bronze).

Winners of both competitions were decided based on the combined results of a written exam and evaluation of the competition project by a panel of journey-level judges. The contests are planned by technical committees made up of industry representatives to test the skills needed for successful entry level performance as a carpenter or mason. Due to their tremendous importance, safety practices and procedures were also judged as a component of each contestant’s overall score.