Workforce Under Construction

During the National Craft Championships March 3-6, we got to see some of the top craft trainees and apprentices in the country compete in their craft and show off their skills, hard work, and passion for their career. The excitement of the event radiates throughout convention center when you walk onto the exhibit hall floor and you can sense the pride the competitors have about their craft and ability to make it to a national level.

There’s something to be said about speaking with a competitor about how their choice of a career in construction has given them the ability to provide for their family or how their training has put them on a path to success to reach goals many others their age haven’t even dreamt of, and then finding them on the day of the practical test and watching them put their skills into action. But if you weren’t there in Ft. Lauderdale to experience this, you still can.

Watch the video below to see a highlight of the 2015 competition and to hear from a few competitors as they discuss why construction was the right career choice for them and what it means to them to have the skills to be a craft professional.

You can also relive the experience by watching the videos that were taken the day of the event of spouses, employers, industry leaders and project managers to see what the National Craft Championships was like for them as a viewer. For example, Michelle Estave, Baton Rouge, La., was at the competition supporting her husband. Watch the video below to see what it was like for her to see her husband putting his skills to test.

In addition, the National Craft Championship project managers showed us what exactly the craft trainees were tasked with during their practical test. Watch the videos below to see Mitch Clark explain the HVAC competition and Bill Lastinger as he explains the carpentry competition.

All videos are available on ABC’s YouTube page. There are many more, so make sure you go check them out!