Mitch Schwoeppe, of Beaufort, won the silver medal in the insulation competition at last week’s Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) National Craft Championships in Birmingham, Ala. Schwoeppe was presented with the award during ABC’s Careers in Construction awards ceremony on May 2, also in Birmingham.
The National Craft Championships feature the nation’s best craft trainees competing first in a two-hour written exam and then in a daylong hands-on practical performance test. This year’s competition featured 156 competitors from 28 states competing for gold, silver and bronze medals and a safety award in 13 competitions representing 11 crafts.
“This year’s award winners represent the best the construction industry has to offer and ABC is proud to honor these craft trainees who will lead the industry moving forward,” said 2014 ABC National Chairman Dan Brodbeck, president and CEO of Compass Partners, LLC, Brentwood, Tenn. “Their dedication to work force training, safety and high-quality craftsmanship are an extraordinary representation of ABC’s commitment to showcasing the best the industry has to offer.”
Schwoeppe works at hth companies, inc., in Union, where he is also enrolled in a training program. In addition to the silver medal, he also received a cash award of $500 from ABC, a pair of boots from Keen and tools from Hilti and Klein.
A list of the winners in each competition is available on ABC’s website. Pictures of the competition are also available.
The National Craft Championships competition was developed in 1987 to help celebrate and recognize craft training in construction careers. Each year, the competition draws some of the nation’s most talented craftspeople and highlights the important role that craft skills training plays in the construction industry. The National Craft Championships Committee, which is composed of leading merit shop construction firms, plans all year for the two-day competition.
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) is a national construction industry trade association representing nearly 21,000 chapter members. Founded on the merit shop philosophy, ABC and its 70 chapters help members develop people, win work and deliver that work safely, ethically, profitably and for the betterment of the communities in which ABC and its members work. Visit us at www.abc.org.