The Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) at the SMART Local 105 in Southern California held its first apprenticeship contest on June 22. In this half-day event, the top first-, second- and third-year apprentices at the training center were challenged with a 45-minute written exam followed by practical skills assessments.
Among first year apprentices, Landon B. Myers took first place, Carl R. Palma placed second, and Alejandro Salmon Cartaya came in third. Austin P. Cummings was the top winner for second-year apprentices, with Raymond T. Sanchez in second place and Daniel Lopez Jr. taking third place. Third-year apprentice winners included Matthew K. Shepherd in first place and Johnny Paul Junior Ruiz in second place.
The day began at 6:30 a.m. at Southern California Sheet Metal’s JATC in the City of Industry, with winners declared by 1:30 p.m. In addition to bragging rights, each first-place winner received a championship belt, as well as full drill kits donated by Milwaukee Tool. Top winners are also invited, along with a guest, to attend this year’s graduation ceremony in October at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim. Second place winners received lithium battery drill kits and third place winners received a drill, also care of Milwaukee.
Cody Neighbors, training coordinator at Local 105, said the competitors were nervous, excited and fired up about their future careers. An audience of about 60, made up of family members, contractors and union and apprenticeship officials, watched as the apprentices worked on their projects. The energy grew as prizes were rolled out, Neighbors recalled.
“Stephen Hinson, our business manager at 105, he strapped the belt on (each winner) like they’d just won a UFC fight,” Neighbors said. “Everyone was pretty excited about that.”
The idea for a contest originated with the JATC’s board of trustees and took about three months to plan. Neighbors said another contest is in the works for next year, incorporating all years of apprenticeship going forward. While Local 105 officials have no plans, as yet, for a regional contest, the idea was to start small and build on their experience.
“The winners and all participants were so grateful and excited,” said David Garcia, administrator of Local 105’s JATC, who recalls other sheet metal contests in the past. “It was always an event to stimulate the talent and identify future leaders in our industry. We are all very excited to bring back this tradition of not only competing but shining a light on our craft and pushing our future generations of apprentices to be the best they can be.”
