MCAA Regional Report, Region B

Words: Gary JoynerAlabama - Roy Swindal
Florida - Danielle Larson
Georgia - Brooke Steele
Kentucky - Joe Correll
Mississippi - No State Chair
North Carolina - Calvin Brodie
South Carolina - No State Chair
Tennessee - Brian Proctor
Virginia - Melvin Hinton

Workforce Development Activities

North Carolina's emphasis in 2018 has been workforce development. In March of 2018, NCMCA brought on Ryan Shaver, 1993 SkillsUSA High School Masonry Champion, a journeyman mason, a former masonry contractor and an award-winning high school masonry instructor as the Association's "Workforce Development & Training Coordinator. Ryan now works full time as an ombudsman for masonry training especially within public education. He maintains an extensive database of instructors, school administrators, Career and Technical Education Directors, and other decision makers. He maintains regular contact with masonry classes and coordinates the involvement of masonry contractors and other masonry industry in local high school programs. Ryan uses his industry connections to recruit instructors for new programs and his extensive personal experience to help new and struggling instructors become successful masonry teachers. He has assumed leadership responsibility for NCMCA sponsored masonry competitions as well as other competitions for which the masonry industry is involved. He has taken a significant role in the NC SkillsUSA Regional and State Masonry competition and the Annual State Fair Masonry Apprentice Contest. Ryan serves as chairman of the SkillsUSA National Conference Annual Masonry Championship competition.

Ryan successfully developed NCMCA's Pre-Apprentice program for high school students in cooperation with North Carolina's Community College System, the first of its kind in the state. Students work on masonry jobsites in the summer and during school breaks earning a minimum of twelve dollars an hour and can earn a high school credit. Despite getting a late start implementing the program, twenty-four students across the state participated in the summer of 2018. The goal is one-hundred plus in 2019. Interviews underway with students who participated last summer have confirmed the students had good experiences and gained a great introduction to a possible masonry career.

In November, Ryan and NCMCA members coordinated the Third Annual Masonry Education Day in Gold Hill, North Carolina. A thousand students from masonry classes across the state gathered for a day of hand-on instruction, demonstrations, one-on-one interaction with masons and masonry contractors, and competitions, including the Carolina qualifier for the SPEC MIX Bricklayer 500. Over two-thousand hot dogs served. In addition to teachers, students and industry professionals, the crowd included school district officials, local legislators and other decision makers.

In November, NCMCA wrapped up its eighth series of masonry contractor certification classes. An average of 35 individuals participated in the series of eleven day-long classes. Some 600 individuals from 95 different companies have participated since the classes began in 2006. Some 300 participants have earned personal certification and 34 companies have become certified.

Masonry Marketing Activities

NCMCA is busy planning the 2019 Annual Convention and Business Meeting for March 20 - 24 in Charleston, SC. In 2018, more than 200 were in attendance at the Asheville NCMCA convention closing banquet including spouses and family.
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