NWTC Students Among Top Finishers in International Apprentice Contest 

(Bowie, Maryland) Three Northeast Wisconsin Technical College apprenticeship students recently put their training and skills to the test in an international competition – bringing home high honors and cash prizes in two categories.

The NWTC students competed in the 2009 International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Contractors (BAC)/International Masonry Institute (IMI) International Apprentice Contest held last month at the John J. Flynn BAC/IMI International Training Center in Bowie, Maryland.

• Jacob Becker of Merrill, Wis., won second place in the cement category. Becker is a cement mason apprentice with Lewis Construction, Schofield.
• David Pryes of Green Bay won third place in the stone category. He is a brick and stone mason apprentice with the Oscar J. Boldt Construction Company, Appleton.
• Daniel Flauger of Oneida also participated in the stone competition, but did not place. Flauger is a brick and stone mason apprentice with Miron Construction, Neenah.

“Having two top finishers in this international competition says a lot about the caliber of our apprenticeship students and the training they receive – both at NWTC and on-the-job,” said John Zellner, NWTC Masonry Apprenticeship instructor. “Our students could not have competed without support from their employers. Clearly, local companies value our students and the training we provide, even in these tough economic times.”

During the competition, more than 100 BAC apprentices – all winners of regional BAC contests – took written exams and completed mockups in their respective crafts. Cash and other prizes were awarded to the top three finishers in each of the following eight categories: plaster, cement, tile, marble, terrazzo, PCC (pointer/cleaner/caulker), brick, and stone.

About BAC

Founded in 1865, the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers represent the trowel trades craftworkers across the United States and Canada including bricklayers, stone and marble masons, cement masons, plasterers, tilesetters, terrazzo and mosaic workers, and pointers/ cleaners/ caulkers. For more information, go to www.bacweb.org.

About Apprenticeship Programs

An apprenticeship is an earn-while-you-learn program of on-the-job training combined with related classroom instruction. The state of Wisconsin has recognized more than 300 apprenticeable occupations.

Apprentices who have completed their training and obtained journey level status are eligible for 32 credits for prior learning toward an Individualized Technical Studies-Journeyworker associate degree.

For more information about the occupations served by NWTC, call the NWTC apprenticeship coordinator, (920) 498-5704.