Masonry Magazine August 1996 Page. 16
Excellence in Bluegrass Brick Blast
Competition Earns Apprentices $3,000
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (June 10, 1996)
"You should be excited about what's ahead-you have an important role in an honorable, respectable profession. Your future looks bright and rewarding."
When Louisville architect David Proffitt made those remarks to a banquet room filled with masonry apprentices, he was referring to the months and years ahead, but his prediction was fulfilled almost immediately. Within minutes, 15 of the apprentices were several hundred dollars richer.
Their work had been judged the best in the 1996 Bluegrass Brick Blast, the second annual masonry apprenticeship competition sponsored by the Brick Institute of America (BIA) Region 9. Staged in the East Hall of the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville, the contest featured 30 apprentices from Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Tennessee. Competition was divided into first, second and third-year categories with each participant building an assigned demonstration project within the allotted 3 1/2 hour time period. Winners were given cash prizes totaling $3000.
"This competition is a win-win for everyone involved," said Bill Kjorlien, the Director of Manpower Development for BIA Region 9 who coordinated the event. "It's a great way for training program directors and managers to evaluate their quality relative to other programs. They may find ways to improve what they're doing. The apprentices get excited about their craft and have a chance to win prizes but they also see what their peers are doing. Finally, the host city uses the event as a promotional boost for recruiting. That's crucial in today's labor market."
Hometown hospitality and mason tender support were coordinated by RoAnne Barnett Marrett, Executive Director of Louisville's Construction Training Institute (CTI) and the
height, level, plumb, use of tools and quality of joints. A perfect score in all areas was 250 points. At the judges' briefing, Kjorlien reminded all it wasn't a speed contest.
Participants were sponsored by their training program or employer. The three-man team from the Masonry Association of Florida (MAF) arrived already winners--each had won their statewide competition to earn the right to participate in the Brick Blast.
"Our in-state contest was a great success," said Reg Miller, Executive Director of the MAF. "I hope other states go this route. It adds a new dimension to the regional competition."
Working against the clock, the Brick Blast contestants performed smoothly and for the most part silently. A variety of styles and techniques were evident as they applied their final attention to detail. As each apprentice finished and stepped away from his work the team of judges moved in. When the dust cleared, 15 projects emerged as the best, though judges admitted the overall high quality made some selections difficult.