Issue 2, 2018

12 Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. A BC SEMI, in conjunction with their training academy, South- east Michigan Construction cademy (SEMCA), recently hosted their Craft Championship (apprentice craft competition) at their training center in Madison Heights. This year’s winner was Joshua Smart of Daniel Electric Co. of Auburn Hills. “Events like the craft championships are a great way to raise the profile of careers in construction and gives both SEMCA and ABC SEMI the opportunity to demon- strate how our craft professionals stack up against the best of the best from across the country,” says ABC/SEMCA Vice President Mickey Mortimer. “We believe Detroit has some of the most skilled construction workers in America and this is one way we can prove it.” The SEMCA has been training workers in the skilled trades for ovwer 33 years. They currently have over 350 students enrolled in their training program, recently launch- ing satellite centers in Lapeer, Monroe and Adrian. SEMCA provides evening classes, which allows their students to work during the day while taking classes at night. The school has a 97 percent employment rate among their students, with the average first year student earning between $10 and $14 an hour. Mortimer says the Na- tional Craft Champion- ship for apprentices includes a daylong hands-on perfor- mance test in each of the crafts, including carpentry, elec- trical, fire sprinkler, HVAC, instrumentation fitting, insulation, millwright, pipefitting, plumbing, sheet metal, welding and masonry. This weekend will focus on the electrical portion of that competition. He feels this competition really tests their ability to do their best work under tough circumstanc- es in a real-world setting. “When you’re on the job you must think on your feet,” Mortimer explained. “Challenges and issues arise when you are on a project that forces you to think out of the box—having an audience of judges and attendees monitoring your every move provides some real pressure one might expect to experience when faced with similar circumstances on the job.” Mortimer stated that the SEMCA Craft Championship is expected to attract local career and technical education teachers and students as well as local elected officials and other leaders who have direct and indirect impacts on our workforce. REGIONAL CRAFT CHAMPIONSHIP Regional Craft Championship Takes Center Stage 2018 REGIONAL CRAFT CHAMPIONSHIPS 1st Place Winner Joshua Smart